Comfort Isaac
The former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Moses Thomas Sule and 14 other former members of the Assembly have been arrested by the operatives of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged money laundering.
The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, June 18 said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, June 17.
He listed the 14 members to include: Gwottson Fom, Sani Abubakar, Jwe Philip Gwom, Thomas Dantong, Happiness Mathew Akawu, Cornelius Dotyok and Agbalak Ibrahim.
Other members are: Danjuma Azi, Fwangje Bala Ndat, Salome Tanimu Wanglet, Namba Rimuyat, Nimchak Rims, Ishaku Maren and Paul Datugun.
Oyewale said the former legislators were arrested following claims by some concerned citizens of the state against them for allegedly violating the Money Laundering( Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and abuse of procurement processes.
He stated that investigations showed that the former legislators spent only six months in office and the state government bought several luxury vehicles for them in their official capacities.
He added that investigation further showed that the said vehicles are valued at N2.5 billion. Upon leaving office, the vehicles were meant to be returned to the state government but were taken away by the legislators and all efforts to retrieve them have proved abortive. The state government had to procure another set of vehicles for the present members of the House of Assembly valued at about N2 billion.
He said the former Speaker and other members will soon be charged to court.
