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The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIPRPP) has explained why its officials arrested the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma at Abuja airport while returning from Lagos.
Besides failure of his company to execute a contract of $12 million for the dredging of Calabar channel awarded by the NPA, SPIPRPP has filed a two-count charge of non-disclosure of assets against Uzodinma before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The charges read: “That you, Senator Hope Uzodinma (Male) on or about March 5, 2018, being a public officer with the National Assembly, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: refused to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.
“That you Senator Hope Uzodmma (Male) on or about March 5, 2018, being a public officer that the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: neglected to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”
The matter was assigned to Justice Babatunde Quadri.
Another court in Abuja, last week, referred the case of criminal complaint pending against Uzodinma to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and appropriate action.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdulwahab Muhammed of the Grade I Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) made the referral, following Uzodinma’s alleged consistent failure to attend court to answer to the complaint made against him and his firms by Chitex Ventures Limited.
A complainant had alleged that the senator issued them a N200 million dud (bounced) cheque.
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The complainant claimed that Uzodinma subcontracted to his company, a shoreline protection project in Koko, Delta State, which he (Uzodinma) allegedly got from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and that the dud cheque was intended as payment for their successful execution of the project.
The referral of the matter to the EFCC was conveyed through a letter, dated October 29, and received by the EFCC Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu on November 6.
The referral letter reads:
“Re-Criminal complaint against Senator Hope Uzodinma, Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company Limited, and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited for criminal conspiracy, joint act, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and cheating.
“The above subject matter between Chimex Ventures Limited and one other and Senator Hope Uzodinma and two others, refers.
“With reference to the above subject matter, I am directed to inform you and refer the above matter to your office for proper, thorough and discreet comprehensive investigation in line with Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“Please, find attached a copy of the complaint for your information and further action.”
Neither Uzodinma nor his lawyer was in court when the case to the EFCC was taken on October 29.
