Innoson boss rejects bail by EFCC

Innoson Innocent Chukwuma

Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma, has refused the bail granted him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), his company had announced.

Popularly known as Innoson, the industrialist was arrested on Tuesday following his alleged refusal to respond to invitations by the commission, after initially being granted administrative bail.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, announced in a statement on Wednesday that he was released on bail.

A tweet by Innoson Motors said Chukwuma rejected the bail because he wanted to know the reason for his arrest.

Mr Uwujaren’ statement announcing the bail said apart from allegedly jumping an earlier bail, Chukwuma’s surety could also not be found, hence his arrest.

He said, “unfortunately the industrialist resisted arrest and stirred controversy by bringing six truck-loads of thugs to block the entrance to his Plot W1, Industrial Layout, Abakaliki Road, Emeni, Enugu, home.

“This was after he initially misled the Police Command by informing them that his home had been invaded by armed robbers and kidnappers despite the fact that operatives of the Commission duly identified themselves to policemen guarding his home.

“His unruly thugs encircled and manhandled operatives of the Commission who had gone to effect the arrest.

“Consequently, a distress call was sent to the Commission’s Enugu Office for reinforcement.’’

Uwujaren added that the anti-graft agency’s operatives acted with “decorum and civility “as no one was manhandled or assaulted by the EFCC team”.

He said that no single shot was fired during the operation “despite the provocation.

“Chukwuma and his brother, Charles Chukwuma (who is still at large), are being investigated by the Insurance and Capital Market Fraud Section of the Commission’s office in Lagos over matters bordering on N1,478, 366, 859.66 fraud and forgery.

“The industrialist, among other infractions, allegedly used forged documents to secure tax waivers,” he said.