Laz Anyanwu, a former imo state commissioner for transportation, was given a three-year prison term on Tuesday.
The charges brought against Anyanwu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were found to be true (EFCC).
He worked for the former Rochas Okorocha administration.
Anyanwu was sentenced by the presiding court, Justice K. A. Lewanya, who stated that the jail term will be served consecutively.
According to the judge, the defendant was found guilty of deception, theft, and theft of public monies.
As chairman of the interim committee of the Imo State transport company, ITC, and commissioner for transportation at the same time, the former commissioner was found guilty of violating sections 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020 by diverting N180 million in state funds into a private company account where he was a major shareholder and the only signatory.
The judge ruled that Anyanwu had violated the Public Procurement Act through that action, abused his position, and utilized it to his benefit in his dealings while serving as the Imo state transport company's interim chairman and as the commissioner for transportation.
The judge stated that the EFCC attorney, Micheal Ani, was able to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Anyanwu transferred N100 million from the ITC account to his private company, Oma Oil Industries Limited, while he was commissioner for transportation between 2015 and 2019, which is against sections 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020 for a public employee.
The judgment added that the ex-commissioner authorized the transfer of an additional N80 million from public funds to his private firm account with the intent of buying certain vehicles for ITC without following the proper channels or using the public procurement laws.
The court claimed the former commissioner stole the sum of N180 million found in his possession when she sentenced him to prison. According to his testimony, the state transportation agency