The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee has denied claims {that a} suspect beneath investigation for an alleged N6bn fraud, Jonathan Okunbor used to be a eyewitness within the ongoing Edo Situation election tribunal.
In step with the fee, the governorship candidate of the Society’s Democratic Celebration, Asue Ighodalo, had claimed that the suspect used to be certainly one of his observers within the tribunal.
In a observation on Wednesday via the EFCC’s Head of Media and Exposure, Dele Oyewale, mentioned that Okunbor is the high suspect in a case of alleged misappropriation of budget involving all 18 native govt fields of Edo Situation.
Oyewale mentioned, “The eye of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, has been attracted to a trending video insinuating that Mr. Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6bn fraud, used to be an election eyewitness.
“The Commission wishes to state without any equivocation that Okunbor is not a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the election tribunal as claimed by Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Rather, he is a prime suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving all the 18 local government areas of Edo State.”
In step with Oyewale, investigations distinguishable that roughly N6 billion used to be diverted to Kezmith International Ventures, an organization owned via Okunbor, including that the suspect allegedly operated the company the usage of the id of Godfrey Emode.
He mentioned, “Ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures owned by Okunbor. The suspect was running the ventures using the name and identity of Mr Godfrey Emode. ”
Oyewale disclosed that Emode’s arrest led investigators to Okunbor, who used to be discovered at Eterno Resort all over a pre-trial assembly.
He famous that Ighodalo’s legal professional showed that Okunbor used to be now not a eyewitness on the tribunal.
“The Fee’s investigators, of their quest to unearth the shadiness of Okunbor, arrested Emode who led them to the suspect in Eterno Resort the place a pre-trial assembly used to be being held.
“Investigators interrogated the counsel to Ighodalo on the status of Okunbor in the election tribunal matters and he clearly stated that he was not a witness in the matter,” the observation added.
In spite of resistance from Ighodalo and others on the scene, he mentioned EFCC officials proceeded with Okbunbor’s arrest.
Oyewale mentioned, “Regardless of this, Mr Ighodalo and his co-travellers at Eterno Resort averted EFCC officials from wearing out their constitutional responsibility and obstructed them from arresting Ogunbor.
“Specifically, Ighodalo insisted that Okunbor was his witness when it was obvious that he only wanted to aid his escape from the Commission’s investigators.”
Oyewale mentioned the Fee used to be dedicated to upholding the rule of thumb of legislation, noting that its center of attention remainder on pursuing corruption fees without reference to any tribunal-related affiliations.
He mentioned, “The EFCC remains committed to its adherence to the rule of law and the Commission has no business with any Edo State election witness that has no corruption charge before it. The EFCC will not hesitate to bring anyone to trial, witness or no witness if it has a basis for doing so.”
Oyewale instructed the society to omit the deceptive claims and reiterated the company’s constancy to transparency and duty in its operations.