The CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele, under pressure from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has returned N1.28 billion to the Enugu government following a spat over the construction of some smart green schools in Enugu.
The embattled contractor formally handed over a sum of money to the state government on Wednesday at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office through a series of bank drafts and cheques.
The EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, officially presented the cheques to the Enugu government, saying the recovery followed a petition filed by the Enugu government against Sujimoto over a botched contract with the state.
“As of today, we have been able to recover drafts to the tune of ₦1,234,350,000 and an additional ₦50,000,000, bringing the total to ₦1,284,350,000 for the benefit of the Enugu State Government,” Ise said, attributing the progress to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC officers handling the case.
“This does not mark the end of the case. We will look at every facet of the petition to ensure that every kobo belonging to the Enugu State Government that is not accounted for is tracked and recovered,” he said, while urging contractors to adhere strictly to extant laws, particularly the Procurement Act.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, received the cheque on behalf of the Enugu government, expressing appreciation to the EFCC for its professionalism and rigour in pursuing the case.
“When there was a misalignment between our intent to use taxpayers’ money for development and what we saw in terms of delivery, we approached the EFCC to help us recover the funds,” he said.
“Today marks the beginning of that recovery process, and we are pleased with the outcome so far,” Onyia stated.
Alleged N5.7 billion Contract Fraud
The spat between the Enugu Government and Sujimoto Limited adversely affected the completion of the 260 smart green schools in Enugu State by the Mbah Administration. The Enugu government raised the alarm over the poor execution by Sujimoto Ltd and involved the EFCC when the case spiraled out of control.
The recovery process is still ongoing, as the alleged sum by the Enugu Government stands at N5.7 billion
