The Secretary of Imo State Artisans Association (ISARTA), Pastor Christian Duru is now in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS ) for allegedly defrauding the Imo state government of the sum of Thirty Million Naira over 4.5 hectares of land allocation to the association.
His arrest and detention followed a petition written by the state Commissioner for Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals, Chief Ernest Ibejiako on the alleged fraudulent activity of the pastor.
Imo State Artisans Association had claimed that in 2017, it paid Thirty Million Naira to the state Ministry of Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals for the allocation of 4.5 hectares of land which was allocated to it at varying prices.
It presented a receipt of Eight Million Naira which upon investigation was confirmed to be a forged document.
The commissioner 's petition also alleged that the remaining Twenty Two Million Naira appeared to be fraudulently covered by an affidavit instead of an official Government Treasury receipt thereby raising doubts of the authenticity of the transaction.
In his statement, Pastor Christian Duru admitted that the money in question was handed over to undisclosed individuals at a local hotel which further suggests serious fraud.
The state Commissioner reiterated Government's determination to recover all Government property in the hands of fraudsters and scammers.
Chief Ibejiako, a former member of the National Assembly announced that the land allocation to Imo State Artisans Association (ISARTA) has been revoked until they pay the thirty million naira to the state Treasury account, while Pastor Christian Duru will be prosecuted in the court as soon as investigation is completed.
Recall that the state governor Senator Hope Uzodimma is the incumbent Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning.
He assumed the office since his second term started running refusing to appoint anybody else owing to the numerous scandals rocking the Lands, Survey and Physical Planning Ministry.
In fact, at the orders of the state governor, the immediate past Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Nobel Atulegwu was clamped in police gulag for about 40 days over alleged land deals involving him.
A panel set up by the governor 's predecessor, Hon Emeka Ihedioha recommended the recovering of lands and some property from former governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha and some of his cronies.
