The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said Mr Jonathan Okunbor is a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6 billion fraud and not as an election witness as reported in some media sections.
The anti-graft agency said Okunbor is not a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election tribunal, as Mr Asue Ighodalo claimed; rather, he is a prime suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving all 18 local government areas of Edo State.
The EFCC further stated that ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, owned by Ogunbor, where he was running the ventures using the name and identity of Mr Godfrey Emode.
According to the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, “the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 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 in a case of misappropriation of funds involving all 18 local government areas of Edo State. Ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, owned by Ogunbor.
“The suspect was running the ventures using Mr Godfrey Emode’s name and identity. 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 also stated that the EFCC remains committed to its adherence to the rule of law. The commission has no business with any Edo State election witness who has not been charged with corruption.
“The EFCC will not hesitate to bring anyone to trial, witness or no witness if it has a basis for doing so. The public is assured that Ogunbor will be brought to book soon in connection with the alleged N6billion fraud involving his firm, Kezmith Global Ventures,” he added.
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