The anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) said its Sokoto zonal office has arrested two Chinese national; Meng Wei Kun and Xu Koi for offering a sum of N50 million as bribe to its zonal head, Abdullahi Lawal.
EFCC in a statement yesterday in Abuja by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Sokoto. According to Oyewale, the bribe was allegedly offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, handling contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government to the tune of N50 billion between 2012 to 2019.
The spokesperson further disclosed that the zonal office of the Commission is investigating the construction company in connection with the execution of contracts for the construction of township roads in Gummi, Bukkuyun, Anka and Nassarawa towns of Zamfara State; and also the construction of 168 solar-powered boreholes in the 14 LGAs of the state.
He continued: “Alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of investigation being conducted, the company reached out to Lawal with an offer of N100 million as bribe to “bury the matter. In a grand design to trap the corrupt officials, Lawal played along, and on Monday, two representatives of the company Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi offered him cash totaling N50 million in their office along airport road, Sokoto. The cash was offered as a first installment”
“The suspects were promptly arrested with the cash as evidence. “Investigation of the construction company was informed by an intelligence on alleged conspiracy; misappropriation of public funds; embezzlement; official corruption; abuse of office, stealing and money laundering obtained against the Zamfara State government through inflated and uncompleted contracts awarded to the company”
“Investigations have so far revealed that China Zounghao Nig Ltd has received payments of over N41 billion from the Zamfara State government, out of which about N16 billion (over $53 million was allegedly diverted and traced to some bureau de change operators.”
