- Vows to prosecute N6bn fraud suspect
From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday debunked claims that it is targeting an election witness in the Edo State election tribunal, revealing instead that the individual in question, Jonathan Okunbor, is a prime suspect in a N6billion fraud case.
According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr Dele Oyewale, Okunbor is the owner of Kezmith Global Ventures, which allegedly received diverted funds meant for the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
The EFCC’s statement comes after a video surfaced suggesting that Okunbor was an election witness being harassed by the commission.
However, the EFCC maintains that Okunbor’s involvement in the election tribunal is a ruse, and that he is actually a suspect in a high-profile fraud case.
The commission’s investigators arrested a man named Godfrey Emode, who led them to Okunbor at Eterno Hotel, where a pre-trial meeting was being held.
The EFCC has vowed to prosecute Okunbor to the fullest extent of the law, despite attempts by some individuals to obstruct justice.
Oyewale, maintained that the EFCC remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will not hesitate to bring anyone to trial, regardless of their status or involvement in the election tribunal.
He said, “The attention of EFCC has been drawn to a trending video insinuating that Mr. Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6billion fraud, was an election witness.
‘The Commission wishes to state without any equivocation that Okunbor is not a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 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.
“Ongoing investigations showed that about N6billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures owned by Ogunbor. The suspect was running the ventures using the name and identity of Mr. Godfrey Emode.
“The Commission’s investigators, in their quest to unearth the shadiness of Ogunbor, 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 Ogunbor in the election tribunal matters and he clearly stated that he was not a witness in the matter.
“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 Ogunbor was his witness when it was obvious that he only wanted to aid his escape from the Commission’s investigators”, Oyewale narrated.