THE Anambra Government has arrested one Chidebele Ozua, a fake revenue agent, who uses government receipts to defraud traders at Nnewi Machine Parts Market.

The state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Trade and Wealth Creation, Dr Christian Madubuko made the disclosure in Awka on Friday.

Madubuko noted that Ozua’s criminal activity which started in 2017 had caused a huge revenue loss to the state government.

According to him, the suspect had been handed over to the Department of State Security (DSS) for further investigation.

“The suspect, who uses government original receipts with a forged signature of government officials, specializes in collecting revenue and putting them into private use.

“He intimidates innocent traders and collects stallage and other levies collectable by the ministry without authority,” Madubuko noted.

Madubuko, who disclosed that some staff members of the ministry were linked to revenue theft, assured that the state government will not leave any stone unturned in fishing them out for prosecution.

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He said the receipts retrieved from the suspect indicated various prices from N12, 000, N36,000, N48,000 to N50,000 per annum depending on the capacity of the traders.

“This type of receipt is all over the market in Nnewi. We saw also that a staff of the ministry countersigned the receipts which prompted further investigation.

“We have completely destroyed our country; we cannot be doing this type of thing and expect the government to do magic.

“It seems the people are in competition of who outwits the other in the game of fraud and manipulation. This is not acceptable,” he emphasized.

The commissioner, who appealed to the public to provide information on fake revenue agents, said the government was taking frantic efforts to sanitise its revenue system.

According to him, the suspect and the affected staff members of the ministry would be prosecuted in court to serve as a deterrent to others.

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