FORMER minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Chukwuemeka Ugwuh has been arrested.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission – EFCC, from the Lagos Zonal Command apprehended Ugwuh, for an alleged conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N3.6bn.
According to Head Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the former minister was arrested alongside Chief Geoffrey Ekenma on January 11, 2024 at No.2, Musa Yar’adua way, New Owerri, Imo State.
Oyewale said the arrests followed a petition to the Commission from a new generation bank on the alleged fraud perpetrated through a company, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., linked to the ex-Minister.
The anti-graft agency said that investigations revealed that Ugwuh and Ekenma, Managing Director, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., allegedly obtained a loan facility from the bank for the purchase and production of polished rice.
However, the suspect, according to the petitioner, failed to meet up his obligations to the bank and all efforts to get him to repay the loan facility proved abortive.
The EFCC said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.