A former Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, and four others were today arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-EFCC before the Abia State High Court over alleged misappropriation of 47 billion naira.

Orji was arraigned alongside his son, Chinedum Orji, a former Commissioner of Finance for Abia State, Dr. Philip Nto, a government contractor, Obioma King, and a former Director of Finance for Abia State, Romas Madu.

They are facing 16 counts of conspiracy to steal and conversion of billions of naira meant for various government programmes preferred against them by the EFCC.

When the matter which was before the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Lilian Abai, was called, the EFCC’s lead prosecution counsel, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), requested that the charge be read to the defendants to allow them to enter their pleas. The EFCC accused them of misappropriating N22.5 billion naira allocated for security votes from 2011 to 2015.

They were also accused of allegedly stealing 13 billion naira from a loan facility. The commission alleged that they illegally converted 12 billion naira from the Paris Club refund.