The police command in Akwa Ibom State on Friday arrested the state Assembly Clerk, Mrs Mandu Umoren, and Cashier, Mr Monday Akpan, over alleged unpaid working imprest of five lawmakers in the All Progressives Congress that had been sacked by the House.
The lawmakers were those whose seats were in December, last year, declared vacant by the Speaker of the House, Onofiok Luke.
It was gathered that the two officials of the House of Assembly were invited to the police headquarters at Ikot-Akpan-Abia, at about 10am in the morning to explain issues relating to the lawmakers’ imprest, but they later were detained by the police.
Their invitation to the station, it was learnt, followed a written petition to the commissioner of police, Musa Kimo, by the five lawmakers, insisting that their imprest for the month of December should be paid to them.
The five lawmakers were Idongesit Ntue, Nse Ntuen, Babriel Tobi, Victor Udofia and Otobong, all of them members of the opposition APC in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Madon, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
But the police spokesperson, who had earlier confirmed that the two officials of the state House of Assembly were in their custody, at Inspiration FM, Uyo, said they were under investigation and not under arrest.
However, in a letter addressed to the Speaker and dated December 31, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, had said the “office is investigating a case of financial fraud and embezzlement reported by Idongesit Ntuen, Victor Udofia, Babriel Tobi Otobong Ndem and Nse Ntuen”.
“In furtherance to the investigation, the department will appreciate you to release the Clerk and Cashier to be interviewed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, state CIID, Uyo on Friday by 10am to throw more light on the matter,” the letter read in part.
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