The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that Asue Ighodalo is attempting to hinder its probe into a N6 billion fraud involving Jonathan Okunbor and his company, Kezmith Global Ventures.
On Wednesday, a statement issued by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale accused Ighodalo of falsely presenting Okunbor as an election tribunal witness to shield him from arrest.
According to the anti-graft agency, Okunbor is a prime suspect in a corruption case involving the misappropriation of funds from all 18 local government areas of Edo State.
“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 N6 billion 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 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.
“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.
“Despite this, Mr Ighodalo and his co-travellers at Eterno Hotel prevented EFCC officers from carrying out their constitutional duty and obstructed them from arresting Okunbor.
“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.
“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.
“The public is assured that Okunbor will be brought to book soon in connection with the alleged N6 billion fraud involving his firm, Kezmith Global Ventures,” the statement reads.
SUN NEWS
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