AT LEAST four Nigerian government officials have developed varying ‘health issues’ while undergoing probe for alleged funds misappropriation and corruption in their offices.

These sudden ill-health conditions often occur when investigations are carried out on various unexplainable spendings and at other times, during court cases, which inadvertently delay process and frustrate justice.

The ICIR takes a look at peculiar cases where officials have taken ill or developed sudden ill-health conditions while under probe for alleged corrupt practices.

Kemebradikumo Pondei

Upon interrogation, Kemebradikumo Pondei, the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who took over from Joi Nunieh in February, blacked out during the House of Representative investigative panel hearing held in Abuja on Monday.

The interim MD ‘fainted’ while he was being quizzed about N641 million naira paid to a certain Clear Point Communications company for the purpose of ‘locating NDDC projects across Nigeria’ and a N536 million to another company for a campaign tagged Save Lives in the Niger Delta.

Pondei also faced members of the panel in defence of financial malfeasance to the tune of the N81.5 billion, which is reported to have been expended by the commission between January to May.

However, the NDDC via its Twitter page on Sunday countered the notion, submitting that the said amount was spent between October 29, 2019 and May 31, 2020.

“It’s false to say #NDDC mismanaged N81.5 billion between Jan and July 2020. Truth is that sum was spent by two Interim Management Committees of the NDDC between October 29, 2019 and May 31, 2020, according to the #CentralBankofNigeria,” the tweet read in part.

The NDDC was established in 2000 for the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Olisa Metuh

In January 2016, Olisa Metuh, former spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was arraigned on seven counts of money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly receiving N400 million from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Source:- icir