How Lecky Was Accused Of Corruption - Report

Scandal followed the appointment
of Mohammed Lecky as the national
commissioner for the INEC by President
Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, October 22.
Sahara Reporters claims that, based on the
exclusively obtained documents, during his
tenure as the executive secretary and the chief
executive officer of the National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Lecky was
suspected of being involved in
the embezzlement of public money.
Lecky was under investigation by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission over an
allegedly illegal investment of N10.7 billion,
and fraudulent representation to the Federal
Executive Council for the award of a contract.
The report, signed by the formmer EFCC
chairman Nuhu Ribadu, was said to have been
submitted to Umaru Yar’adua, Nigeria’s former
president.
According to Sahara Reporters: “Among other
things, [Lecky] authorized the investment of
government funds in three commercial banks
that have no banking relationship with the
scheme to the tune of ten billion and seven
hundred naira (N10.7 billion).
According to the document, the investigation
showed that Lecky first invested the said
amount in his private accounts, then he
returned the amount to the NHIS, but received
the interest from this money which totaled
“sixty three million, seven hundred and sixty
three thousand, thirteen naira”.
Mohammed Lecky. Credits: The Nation
“No evidence was seen suggesting that the
board or the minister of health gave approval
for the placement of the funds in the various
banks. It was the sole decision of the executive
secretary.”
The report further discloses that Lecky
was part of fraudulent schemes connected with
contract awarding and company incorporation.
The conclusion reads:
“A case of misappropriation of public funds
cannot be established against Mr Lecky but a
case of abuse of office could be sustained
against the suspect on the basis of conflict of
interest by influencing the award of a contract
to a company in which his cousin is the
director.”
President Buhari made a series of important
appointments on Thursday  as he
named Mahmood Yakubu as the new chairman
for the INEC and Dan-Azumi Ibrahim as the
director general of the National Office for
Technological Acquisition and Promotion . This
comes amid the ministerial screening by the
Senate. Yesterday the Red Chamber screened
the former Rivers state governor Rotimi
Amaechi.
Further screening was adjourned to October
27.      -naij.com