The Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Government Property and Funds has announced the retrieval of a Toyota Hilux vehicle from Sam Nwogu, the former Chairman of Abia State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission (ASOPADEC).
Nwogu purportedly claimed that the vehicle was entrusted to him by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
However, during cross-examination, the Panel’s Chairman, Justice Florence Duruoha-Igwe, retired, pointed out evidence suggesting that the vehicle had been utilized by the head of ASOPADEC’s Works Department, Mr. Gberemakor Chukwuemeka.
Despite efforts to verify Nwogu’s assertion regarding NDDC’s allocation, no conclusive evidence was found.
Consequently, Justice Duruoha-Igwe ordered the vehicle to be stationed at the panel’s premises.
Notably, Nwogu neglected to comply with the panel’s directive to present the vehicle for physical inspection, as highlighted by the lead counsel to the Panel, H. N. Doruoha.
The counsel reiterated that Nwogu was explicitly instructed to produce the vehicle for scrutiny.
In defense, Sam Nwogu’s counsel, A. S. Amaramiro, contended that the vehicle was not assigned to him by the Abia State Government but rather by the NDDC.
