A Spanish national and director in a
construction company, Hormipresa Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Jose Marin
Lopez-Pepe, is in police custody following a suspected move to divert
€1.6m meant for the purchase and supply of materials for the execution
of a contract awarded to the company by the Imo State government.
Lopez-Pepe was arrested in Lagos by the
operatives of Inter-Pol and handed over to the Imo State Police Command
while trying to flee the country following a petition by the Managing
Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Emmanuel Emenike.
Hormipresa is one of the major companies
awarded monumental projects by the government of Imo State having
secured a contract worth about N3.5bn.
The state government released 30 per cent of the contract sum value of over N1bn to the company as mobilisation fund.
Emenike, it was gathered, transferred
the €1.6m to the Spanish bank account of Lopez-Pepe for the purchase of
the essential materials from Spain for the execution of the project.
In a letter addressed to the
Commissioner of Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Uche
Nwosu, dated April 22, 2013 and signed by Emenike entitled, “Ongoing
Inter-Pol Action On A Case Of Stealing And Obtaining By False Pretence
Against Spanish National Mr. Jose Marin Lopez To Repatriate/Refund Of
Hormipresa Nig Ltd Imo Project Fund,” the company said the director was
currently in police custody, a step taken to recover the fund with
Lopez-Pepe.
It read, “I wish to refer to the above
subject matter, which we had earlier reported that one of our directors,
who was supposed to supply essential materials from Spain, had yet to
effect the supply thereby causing unwholesome delays in the execution of
the project. I further informed you that Inter-Pol had been contacted
to assist in compelling the said director to ensure the supplies.
“I wish to inform further that the said
director is now in police custody for steps to recover the fund
committed into his hand to effect the supplies.”
Meanwhile, the state government, through
the Ministry of Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban Development, has
written to the appropriate Spanish authorities and the bank, requesting
the immediate repatriation of the funds.
The government expressed concern on the
slow performance by Hormipresa Nig. Ltd following the trapped fund in
the Spanish bank and requested the concerned authorities to release the
fund to enable the company to continue with the project.
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