www.odogwublog.com
reports that the Anambra Government has arrested of the President-General of
Ogbaru Main Market, Chief Victor Nwawuzie and Mr Willie Chimaroke for alleged
diversion of N91 million government revenue.
The state Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Market and Wealth
Creation, Mr Christian Madubuko made the order when he visited the market on
inspection tour at the market near Onitsha on Saturday.
Madubuko said the two suspects allegedly engaged in forgery,
printing of fake receipts, signing and countersigning of government receipts as
well as use of personal seals without authorisation.
“First of all, we discovered that many receipts dated from
2016 in the president-general’s office were not issued to recipients.
“We discovered in his financial book, that fake and original
POS were also used to collect revenue in 2016 and part of 2017.
“From Sept. 18, 2016 to Feb. 22, 2017, the suspects
collected stallage development levies amounting to N28, 757, 014 out of which they
only paid into the government purse, N7, 681, 440,” he said.
Madubuko said the suspects, between Sept. 18, 2016 to Dec.
22, 2017collected N6, 840,600 as sanitation levies out of which only N736,800
was remitted to government.
The commissioner also said the suspects collected N11, 654,
201 and N4, 174, 600 as sanitation from Jan. 8, 2018 to June 22, 2018.
However, the commissioner said the state government had not
given any authorisation for the collection of sanitation levies for 2018.
According to the commissioner, from April 25, 2018 to June
12, 2018, the suspects paid N15, 337, 620 into government account as money for
stallage, tax and development levies.
“From the record book also, they collected N8, 700, 000 from
Dec. 12 to Dec. 22, 2017 while from Jan. 8, 2018 to March 23, 2018 they
collected N7,966,700.
“In summary, stallage, development and tax fees in 2016 as
well as fake POS revenue amounted to N47, 000,000 were collected but not paid
to government account.
“In 2017, stallage fees, development levy and tax within the
period amounted to N28,757,014 out of which he paid only N7,681,440.
“In 2018, stallage, development and tax,N11,654,207 out of
which he paid N15,337, 620,” where did the deficit come from,” he asked.
The commissioner said the total money collected by the
suspects was N119, 093,121 while the amount paid to government account was N23,
755,860.
According to him, Government will not tolerate a situation
where people divert its revenue without proper accountability.
In an interview, the two suspects, who were arrested by
personnel of the DSS denied the allegations, saying it was masterminded by
opposition, who do not want the progress of the market.
Ogbaru main market boss arrested over N91 Million revenue diversion
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Sunday, July 15, 2018
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