Rasaq AbdulKareem/
Two Chinese men identified as Mr. Meng Wei Kun and Mr. Xu Koi have been held by anti-graft agents in Nigeria for delivering a part payment of N50million after offering N100million bribe to the Zonal Head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Sokoto Mr. Abdullahi Lawal.
The suspects were arrested in Sokoto on May 11.
Authorities at EFCC told NewsmakersNG that 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 in the sum of N50 billion between 2012 to 2019.
A statement from EFCC says, “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 local government areas of the state.
“Alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of investigation being conducted, the company reached out to Lawal with an offer of N100million 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 fifty million naira in their office along airport road, Sokoto. The cash was offered as a first installment.
“The suspects were promptly arrested with the cash as an 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 Ltd has received payments of over N41, 000, 000, 000.00 (Forty One Billion Naira) from the Zamfara state government, out of which about N16, 000, 000, 000. 00 (Sixteen Billion Naira) equivalent to over $53,000,000.00 (Fifty Three Million US Dollars) was allegedly diverted and traced to some bureau de change operators
“The suspects would soon be charged to court.”
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