Chinese dupes Cross River govt

Detectives from Zone 6 command of the Nigerian Police in Calabar are now on the trail of a Chinese national, Mr. Xiao Bo, who allegedly defrauded the Cross River State government of huge sums of money.

Public Relations Officer of the command, Tasiu Ibrahim, said the matter is being investigated and that they are searching for the suspect, although he is said to have fled the country.

The Chinese was alleged to have swindled the state government of over N3.8 million, being proceeds from Road Infrastructure Maintenance, a unit under his company, Bothers’ Quarry Ltd in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state.

Bo allegedly diverted the money into his private account instead of paying same into the government account.

But, the Managing Director of Brothers Quarry, who gave his name simply as Mr. Young, denied the allegation, said his company has paid up the money and that Mr Bo has returned to China.

He said: “We do not owe the government. Mr. Bo was my interpreter and he has gone back to China. I cannot get in touch with him and my company has paid the government.”

Following the alleged fraudulent activities of Mr. Bo, the acting chairman, Cross River State Internal Revenue Service, Dr. Peter Oti, said his office lodged a formal complaint at the Zone 6 Police Command.

Though he hinted that Messrs Brothers Company paid back the diverted funds, he urged the company to fetch Mr. Bo and hand him over to the police to answer to the allegations of fraud/diversion of government funds levelled against him.