The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over N108 million recovered from an alleged fraud involving two former employees to Karren Walters Attorneys in Lagos, as part of efforts to restore stolen assets to victims of financial crimes.
The anti-graft agency disclosed the development in a statement on Friday, noting that the recovered funds, presented in bank drafts, were traced during an investigation into allegations of abuse of office, forgery, stealing and diversion of company funds.
According to the EFCC, the suspects, Nkechi Gladys Megai, who allegedly fled to the United Kingdom and is currently at large, and Godson Eze, a former Chief Financial Officer of the company, are accused of orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme that ran into several hundreds of millions of naira.
The commission alleged that the duo exploited their positions by forging official documents, creating fake invoices in the names of the company’s legitimate vendors and diverting funds through fraudulent transactions carried out over a period of time.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Bawa Usman Kaltungo, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of economic and financial crimes.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission remains committed to ensuring that victims of economic and financial crimes obtain justice and, where possible, recover assets fraudulently obtained from them,” Kaltungo said.
He added that the commission would continue pursuing all those linked to the alleged fraud, including suspects who had fled the country.
“Efforts are ongoing to ensure that all persons connected with the fraud, including those who have fled the country, are brought to justice in accordance with the law,” he stated.
The EFCC said the company’s legal representatives commended the commission for its professionalism and thorough investigation, describing the recovery as a significant step towards addressing the financial losses suffered by the company.
According to the commission, the lawyers expressed appreciation for the agency’s diligence and assured that the recovered funds would help cushion the impact of the alleged fraud.
The anti-graft agency added that investigations remain ongoing as efforts continue to apprehend all individuals connected with the alleged financial crimes.