ICPC quizzes AFN Secretary over alleged $130, 000 IAAF fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has quizzed the Secretary-General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Amaechi Akawu over allegations of misappropriation of $130, 000 belonging to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).
It said IAAF in March 2017 gave AFN about $20,000 grant to host a Grand Prix Competition in Delta State but it mistakenly credited the account with $150,000.
But instead of refunding the $130,000 to IAAF, the AFN Secretary-General said the whole cash was spent on the competition.
A statement by the Spokesperson for ICPC, Rasheedat A. Okoduwa said AFN was yet to refund the $130,000 to IAAF.
The statement said: “Akawu was detained on Tuesday 22nd October 2019 following his arrest and was subsequently released on administrative bail the next day, to enable him to 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.”
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ICPC also explained it decided to call Akawu accountable over the $130,000 since ‘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 by IAAF.’