The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered and handed over ₦108 million to the legal representatives of a company following an investigation into an alleged fraud involving two former employees accused of diverting hundreds of millions of naira.
The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the recovered funds, presented in bank drafts, were released to Karren Walters Attorneys, legal representatives of the affected company, at its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2.
According to the EFCC, the money formed part of the proceeds recovered during an ongoing investigation into allegations of abuse of office, forgery, stealing and diversion of company funds.
The commission identified the suspects as a former Chief Financial Officer of the company, Godson Eze, and Nkechi Gladys Megai, a former employee who is allegedly on the run after fleeing to the United Kingdom.
The EFCC alleged that the duo exploited their positions by forging documents, creating fake invoices in the names of legitimate company vendors and diverting funds through fraudulent transactions carried out over a period.
It added that the alleged fraudulent payments ran into several hundreds of millions of naira.
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, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring that victims of economic and financial crimes recover stolen assets where possible.
He said, “The EFCC remains committed to ensuring that victims of economic and financial crimes obtain justice and, where possible, recover assets fraudulently obtained from them.”
Kaltungo also said efforts were ongoing to track and prosecute everyone connected with the alleged fraud, including suspects who had fled the country.
He assured that the commission would pursue the matter to its logical conclusion in line with the provisions of the law.
The EFCC stated that the company’s legal representatives commended the commission for what they described as a diligent and professional investigation, expressing appreciation for the recovery of the funds.
According to the agency, the lawyers said the recovered money would help reduce the financial losses suffered by the company.
The commission added that investigations are still ongoing as it intensifies efforts to apprehend all persons linked to the alleged fraud.
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