Appeal Court Upholds Three-Year Jail Term for Ex-Imo Commissioner Over N180m Fraud

In a decisive judgment delivered on July 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, affirmed the conviction and three-year prison sentence of Prince Laseberry Okafor Anyanwu, a former Commissioner for Transport in the Rochas Okorocha administration, for his role in the fraudulent diversion of N180 million belonging to the state government.

Anyanwu’s conviction stems from a four-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2020, centring on abuse of office, conspiracy, and corrupt enrichment involving public funds. The court found that between November 2017 and January 2018, while serving as Chairman of the Committee on the Review of Imo Transport Company—and later as Commissioner—Anyanwu orchestrated the transfer of N100 million and N80 million, respectively, from the company and ministry accounts into Oma Oil & Industries Limited, a company where he held major interests as a shareholder, chairman, and signatory.

The offences, according to court records, violated Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. Anyanwu had pleaded not guilty, but the EFCC, represented by Assistant Commander Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented three witnesses and multiple documents to establish a clear trail of the illegal transfers and personal benefit. Justice K.A. Lewanya of the Imo High Court originally convicted Anyanwu on three of the four counts on March 14, 2023, and sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each count without an option of fine, to run concurrently. The sum of N180 million, already frozen under an interim forfeiture order, was officially forfeited to the state.

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Dissatisfied, Anyanwu appealed the verdict, but the appellate panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Abubakar unanimously dismissed his appeal, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and describing the former commissioner’s actions as flagrant abuse of office and gross violation of public trust.

This case marks a significant victory for the EFCC in holding government officials accountable and ensuring the restitution of misappropriated public assets to Imo State.