ICPC orders Mike Okiro to refund N133m to FG

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has directed the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, to remit N133 million to the Federal Treasury through the ICPC recovery account at First City Monument Bank.

This was the balance of the N350m he received from the Federal Government for staff trainings and physical monitoring of police personnel during the last general elections.

The ICPC also ordered the workers of the commission who were paid 2-way return ticket and Airport taxi fares to location within the Federal Capital Territory and States with close proximity to Abuja during the monitoring exercise to refund to the treasury monies amounting to N11.75 million.

“Consequently, this commission hereby directs, as follows, that the total balance of N133,413,845.99 from the N350,000,000 2015 Election monitoring exercise domiciled within FCMB be remitted to the Federal Treasury through the ICPC Recovery Account No. 1012929790 at Zenith Bank Plc,” it directed.

The anti-graft agency said these in its report of investigations into allegations of graft levelled against Okiro by a PSC worker, Solomon Kaase, who petitioned the ICPC in May, 2015 over alleged moves by Okiro to swindle the PSC to the tune of N275 million.

He alleged that the retired Inspector-General of Police claimed that the money would be used to train 900 PSC workers when the total number of the workers of the commission is 391.

Though the ICPC confirmed that the PSC has only 391 workers contrary to 900 claimed by Okiro, it did not indict him over the discrepancy.

It said, “Investigation findings revealed that the commission budgeted for training of 900 staff and to conduct training in Abuja, Lagos and Kano.

“However, the entire staff force was not more that 391 and that is the figure actually trained in a programme held in Abuja only. The Commission accepted the explanation that due process could not be adhered to strictly because of time constraint.”

The report signed by the ICPC Chairman, Ekpo Nta and dated August 6, 2015, said investigation revealed that the commission paid Daily Travelling Allowances to all staff including those based in Abuja that participated in the training programme held within Abuja.

“Air ticket and DTA were paid to management  staff and others who monitored elections within Abuja and its environs; even at locations were Airports do not exist such as Lokoja and Minna,” the report which was addressed to the commission’s Permanent Secretary, stated.

The ICPC observed that the PSC chairman collected money for two conferences that ran simultaneously in Dublin and Orlando, Florida, noting that he did expend the ticket fare for the Dublin trip.

The agency however said Okiro had written to the Presidency to expend the ticket fare for Abuja-Orlando-Abuja on another trip coming up by October, 2015, stressing that it (ICPC) should be informed if the request was turned  down. [Punchng.com]