ICPC
ICPC arrests AFN
ICPC
ICPC arrests AFN Scribe, Akawu over alleged $130, 000 IAAF
Fraud
The Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria
(AFN), Mr. Amaechi Akawu, has been arrested by the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),
over allegations of misappropriation of $130, 000 belonging to the
International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).
Akawu was detained on Tuesday 22nd October, 2019
following his arrest and was subsequently released on
administrative bail the next day, to enable him submit some vital
documents that were requested by investigators handling the
case.
ICPC had received a petition alleging that he had failed to
account for $130, 000 mistakenly paid into the account of AFN in
2017 by IAAF.
IAAF had in a letter to AFN in March 2017, volunteered to grant
$20, 000 to the federation towards the successful hosting of the
CAA Grand Prix Competition in Delta State, popularly known as 2017
Warri Relay Competition.
However, the international body for athletics while fulfilling
the pledge, mistakenly paid $150, 000 to AFN in May, 2017, a sum
which was far in excess of the $20, 000 grants it had earlier
pledged.
IAAF quickly wrote to its Nigerian counterpart two months after
the payment admitting the mistake and promptly requested that the
$130, 000 excess be returned forthwith.
AFN is yet to refund the excess fund with Akawu as the Secretary
General, claiming that the entire $130, 000 was spent on hosting
the competition that held in July, 2017.
Details available to the Commission have revealed several
transactions on the account which were originated by the Secretary
General moments after the payment of the money.
ICPC found out that Akawu, acting without AFN Board, got several
approvals for the release of the money through a series of letters
to the then Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon
Dalung.
On different occasions, he requested for and got approval for
the release of N30.4 million, N4.9 million and $20, 000 all in the
month of July, 2017 as expenses for the competition. He also
requested for N9.5 million in the same period, but N5 million was
approved by the then Permanent Secretary.
Akawu is yet to furnish the Commission with the evidence of the
expenditures, telling investigators that he had submitted all the
documents relating to how the $130, 000 was spent by AFN to the
registry in the office of the Minister.
Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission