Rochas Anayo Okorocha

Rochas Okorocha is a two-term former Governor of Imo State (2011-2019) and former Senator for Imo West (2019-2023) who faced an EFCC 17-count criminal charge alleging the diversion of approximately N2.9bn in Imo State funds between 2014 and 2016. He was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja on 30 May 2022 before Justice Inyang Ekwo and pleaded not guilty; the charge was struck out on 6 February 2023 under Section 105(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act after the Attorney-General of the Federation directed EFCC to forward the case file for review. A parallel suit at the FCT High Court was dismissed by Justice Yusuf Halilu on 14 July 2023 as an abuse of process. Separate civil forfeiture proceedings against properties linked to Okorocha, his wife and the Rochas Foundation remain ongoing, and the broader EFCC assessment of N7.9bn in traced funds and assets is the basis on which over N5.7bn was reportedly returned to Imo State in 2020.