By Festus Ahon
UGHELLI—The Federal Government has dragged to court the immediate past Education Secretary in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Owhe Emaekpor, and its Accountant, Okpeva Abenego Enifome, for allegedly failing to remit to the State Board of Internal Revenue Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax deducted from entire salaries of primary school staff in the area.

The 32-count charge sheet indicated that the duo made the deductions from January 2006 to October 2007.

According to the charge sheet, No A/ICPC/IC/2009, signed by Bayo Taiwo, Principal Legal Officer, Federal Ministry of Justice for the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation, the Delta State High Court Holden at Asaba was informed by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation that the accused, Okpara Abednego Enifome and Chief Owhe Emaekpor are charged on 32 count charges of “conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage upon themselves, contrary to section 26(1) (c) and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.

It read in part: That “Okpeva Abednego Enifome (M), Chief Owhe Emaekpor (M) in January 2006 or thereabout at Oleh Delta State being the Accountant and the Education Secretary respectively of Isoko South Local Government Education Authority, Oleh did knowingly agree to remit to Delta State Board of Internal Revenue Oleh the sum of N500,000 (five hundred thousand naira) only as Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax deductions from staff salaries of the primary schools in your local government area for the month of January 2006, out of about N1.4million (one million four hundred thousand naira) deducted on  the salary voucher for the month of January 2006, and converted balance, thereof, to your personal use.

“Okpeva Abednego Enifome (M) Chief Owhe Emaekpor (M) in October 2007 or thereabout at Oleh, Delta State, being the Accountant and the Education Secretary respectively of Isoko South Local Government Education Authority, Oleh, did use your positions and confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by embezzling about N1.5million (one million five hundred thousand naira) only, being money meant to be remitted to the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue Oleh as Pay As You Earn tax deducted from staff salaries of the primary schools in your local government area for the month of October 2007.”