A one time Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Steve Oronsaye, was on Tuesday evening arrested by the country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly obtaining money by false pretence and corruption.
A source at EFCC informed that Oronsaye, who was enjoying an administrative bail from the commission, was recalled by 4:30p.m. on Tuesday.
He was said to have allegedly obtained a sum of N240 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), using his position as the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, on the pretence of giving assistance to the committee without the knowledge of other committee members.
The source added that the former Head of Service, who is already being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 24-count charge of money laundering before a Federal High Court, Abuja, converted the said amount to his personal use.
“Investigation is almost concluded and the suspect will be charged to court any time from now,” said the source who would not want to be mentioned.
The source added that a two-count charge had already been filed against Oronsaye at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
The two-count charge filed against the country’s former number one civil servant reads: “Stephen Oronsaye a.k.a. Mr Steve Oronsaye, on or about 12th June, 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, whilst being the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force and in such capacity entrusted with certain property to wit: the sum of N90,000,000.00 (Ninety Million Naira) committed Breach of Trust in respect of the said sum by converting it to your personal use through the investment of the said sum of N90,000,000.00 in Access Bank Plc’s Bankers Acceptance for a tenor of 90 days at 9.0% interest rate in violation of the extant financial regulations.
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