Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed new charges against the former Minister of Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, before an Abuja High Court, alleging that he diverted close to N2 billion meant for the dualisation of Section IV of the East-West Road.
He was charged alongside Oludare Lawrence Alaba, Ephraim Towelde Zaki and Gitto Construction Limited on a five-count charge bordering on alleged corruption, diversion of funds and perjury.
He was accused of circumventing a Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the dualisation of the Eket-Oron Road, part of the East-West Road which runs from Edo to Bayelsa State by allegedly instructing the contractor, Gitto Construction, to rehabilitate it instead.
Orubebe and the co-accused persons are also charged with conferring undue advantage on the construction firm when they caused the money meant for compensating residents whose properties were marked for demolition paid to Gitto.
The court papers stated that the sum N2,320,686,826 approved for payment of compensation to owners of properties that were to be demolished to make way for the dualisation of the road was paid to the contractor instead of the beneficiaries
Orubebe was also accused of making false statements to the ICPC claiming that the decision to rehabilitate the road rather than dualise it was taken after he had left office as the Minister of Niger Delta.
