The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied claims that a suspect under investigation for an alleged N6bn fraud, Jonathan Okunbor was a witness in the ongoing Edo State election tribunal.
According to the commission, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo, had claimed that the suspect was one of his witnesses in the tribunal.
In a statement on Wednesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated that Okunbor is the prime suspect in a case of alleged misappropriation of funds involving all 18 local government areas of Edo State.
Oyewale said, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has been drawn to a trending video insinuating that Mr. Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6bn fraud, was an election witness.
“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.”
According to Oyewale, investigations revealed that approximately N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, a company owned by Okunbor, adding that the suspect allegedly operated the firm using the identity of Godfrey Emode.
He said, “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 was found at Eterno Hotel during a pre-trial meeting.
He noted that Ighodalo’s lawyer confirmed that Okunbor was not a witness at the tribunal.
“The Commission’s investigators, in their quest to unearth the shadiness of Okunbor, arrested Emode who led them to the suspect in Eterno Hotel where a pre-trial meeting was 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 statement added.
Despite resistance from Ighodalo and others at the scene, he said EFCC officers proceeded with Okbunbor’s arrest.
Oyewale said, “In spite of this, Mr Ighodalo and his co-travellers at Eterno Hotel prevented EFCC officers from carrying out their constitutional duty 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 said the Commission was committed to upholding the rule of law, noting that its focus remains on pursuing corruption charges irrespective of any tribunal-related affiliations.
He said, “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 urged the public to disregard the misleading claims and reiterated the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability in its operations.
