- EFCC has denied allegations that a suspect under investigation for N6 billion fraud, Jonathan Okunbor was a witness in the Edo State election tribunal
- The commission clarified that Okunbor is being investigated for alleged misappropriation of funds and is not a PDP witness
- It rejected obstruction claims by Ighodalo, reaffirmed commitment to the rule of law
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refuted claims that Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect under investigation for an alleged N6 billion fraud, was serving as a witness in the ongoing Edo State election tribunal.
The denial follows statements made by Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who had alleged that Okunbor was one of his witnesses in the tribunal.
In a statement released on Wednesday, January 15, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, clarified that Okunbor is not involved in the election proceedings, as claimed by Ighodalo.
He emphasised that Okunbor was the primary suspect in an alleged misappropriation of funds that spans all 18 local government areas of Edo State.
"The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to a trending video suggesting that Mr Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6 billion fraud, was an election witness," Oyewale stated.
"The Commission wishes to categorically state that Okunbor is not a witness for the PDP in the election tribunal, as claimed by Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Instead, he is the prime suspect in an ongoing investigation into the misappropriation of funds across the state."
Investigations have revealed that approximately N6 billion was allegedly diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, a company owned by Okunbor, who is accused of operating the firm under the false identity of Godfrey Emode.
"Ongoing investigations have shown that around N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, owned by Okunbor," Oyewale explained.
"The suspect was running the company using the name and identity of Mr. Godfrey Emode."
Further inquiries by the EFCC led to the arrest of Emode, whose detention provided investigators with information that ultimately led them to Okunbor. The suspect was found at Eterno Hotel during a pre-trial meeting related to the election tribunal.
Despite claims from Ighodalo's lawyer that Okunbor was not a witness in the tribunal, the EFCC’s officers attempted to carry out Okunbor's arrest at the hotel. According to Oyewale, Ighodalo and others present obstructed the EFCC officers in their duty to apprehend the suspect.
"In spite of this, Mr Ighodalo and his associates at Eterno Hotel hindered the EFCC officers from fulfilling their constitutional duty and attempted to prevent Okunbor’s arrest," Oyewale stated.
"Specifically, Ighodalo insisted that Okunbor was his witness, when it was clear that he was attempting to assist Okunbor’s escape from the Commission’s investigators."
The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, emphasising that its focus remains on pursuing corruption charges, regardless of any connections to election tribunal matters.
"The EFCC remains committed to upholding the rule of law," said Oyewale.
"The Commission has no interest in any Edo State election witness who is not under investigation for corruption. We will not hesitate to bring anyone to trial, witness or not, if there is a basis for doing so."
The EFCC also urged the public to disregard the misleading claims and reiterated its dedication to transparency and accountability in its operations.
EFCC says it has recovered N248bn, $105m, secured 3455 convictions in 1 year
Earlier, TheRadar reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reported significant achievements in its fight against corruption, recovering over N248 billion and $105 million while securing 3,455 convictions in the past year.
The commission also revealed that it has initiated legal proceedings against several former governors and ministers for corruption, including high-profile cases involving billions in mismanaged public funds.
