THE Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, is set to deepen ongoing investigation into activities of the Edo State Internal Revenue Services with a view to finding out how much was generated, disbursed and remitted from 2008 to the end of the tenure of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the state.
The anti-corruption agency formally kicked off investigation on the agency of the Edo state government two months ago when it sent a letter to the Chairman of the agency in Benin, capital of Edo state to demand for submission of specific documents used for operations of the agency within the period of 2008 and 2016 when the tenure of Governor Obaseki started in Edo State.
Verbatim Online learnt that the period of investigation has now been expanded to the end of tenure of the Governor Godwin Obaseki in November, this year, following petitions it received about questionable deals by the incumbent management of the internal revenue service agency in the state.
Specifically, a source told Verbatim that petitions have been pouring into ICPC after news spread in November last year that ICPC is probing the revenue service agency in Edo.
The source told Verbatim Online pointedly thus: ‘’accusations of highly suspicious secret deals, especially by the Governor and his henchman, Osagie Inegbedion, whom the governor appointed as Chairman, Edo State Task Force and who reports directly to the governor , were received and it was agreed by the ICPC officials that it will serve the course of justice to look into both the past and present activities of management of the agency in Edo state.’’
Officially, the ICPC investigation kicked off when it sent a letter to the Chairman of the revenue management agency of the Edo State government, dated November 21, 2023, to demand for details of disbursement and remittances, of funds generated by the agency for the period, 2008-2016.
In the letter, referenced ICPC/OPS/FID.D/799, sighted by Verbatim 0nline, the ICPC also demanded for ‘’account statement(s)of IGR for the period’’ and any other relevant document that may assist investigation.
The ICPC further requested for the release of the revenue service’s Head of Finance and Administration, DFA, to appear before ICPC’s Head, Financial Investigation Division, on Monday, December 4, 2023 with the documents it requested for.
Osagie Inegbedion, Chairman, Edo State Task Force on Internally Generated revenue told Verbatim Online in a phone interview that the revenue agency complied with the requests made by the ICPC and that the probe period did not cover the period of operation of the task force headed by him. It was clear as at time of the interview that he was not aware of impending plans by the ICPC to extend searchlight of investigation to his tenure and possibly invite  the incumbent management for interrogation on fresh findings about their activities. Verbatim Online is keeping eye on unfolding developments in the investigation process.
Culled From verbatimnewsnetwork
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