Crime
DSS Arrests Pastor Christian Duru For Alleged N30 Million Land Fraud In Imo State
However, N22 million of the claimed payment was recorded via an affidavit rather than an official treasury receipt, further questioning the legitimacy of the transaction.
Owerri, Imo State- The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken Pastor Christian Duru, Secretary of the Imo State Artisan Association (ISARTA), into custody over allegations of a fraudulent N30 million land transaction.
The pastor is accused of defrauding the Imo State government in a controversial land deal tied to his role in ISARTA.
It was gathered that 4.5 hectares of land originally allocated to ISARTA, allegedly meant to support the association’s development initiatives.
However, the deal has since come under scrutiny for suspected irregularities.
Pastor Duru’s arrest comes in response to a formal petition by Ernest Ibejiako, the Imo State Commissioner for Industry, Mines, and Solid Minerals.
In his complaint, Ibejiako accused Duru of orchestrating fraudulent practices in a land allocation agreement dating back to 2017, claiming that the transaction led to financial losses for the state government.
The petition revealed that ISARTA claimed to have paid N40 million to the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Solid Minerals for a land allocation, but discrepancies in payment records have raised concerns.
The association provided a receipt for N8 million as part of the payment, but an investigation later confirmed the receipt was forged.
However, N22 million of the claimed payment was recorded via an affidavit rather than an official treasury receipt, further questioning the legitimacy of the transaction.
During questioning, Pastor Duru admitted that the funds were handed over to unidentified individuals at a local hotel, a revelation that investigators deemed troubling and potentially indicative of misconduct.
Commissioner Ibejiako confirmed the state government’s commitment to recovering public assets lost through fraudulent activities.
He also noted that ISARTA’s land allocation had been revoked and that Pastor Duru would face legal action once the investigation concludes.
The commissioner further stated that the association would be required to pay N30 million to the state treasury to resolve the alleged fraud.
