Olusegun Ariyo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, explained that Jonathan Okunbor is not a witness of former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo.
EFCC disclosed that Okunbor is a prime suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving 18 local government areas in Edo State.
On Tuesday, urban Express News Online reported that suspected EFCC officials allegedly stormed a hotel in Benin City to arrest a person suspected to be a member of the PDP in the state.
The 22-second video posted by Oseni Rufai, one of Arise TV’s analysts on his official X handle, that went viral voices of some persons were heard shouting he should not be arrested.
The people were also demanding a valid Warrant of Arrest from the suspected EFCC officials.
According to one of the voices, “he dey here since. Let me tell you eh? You can’t take him away. Show us a valid Warrant for you to arrest him. Arrest is a legal word. If you have a valid Warrant you can. That’s all.”
But a member of the party, who pleaded anonymity said EFCC wanted to arrest Ighodalo.
The source said officials of the anti-graft agencies came to a hotel owned by a PDP chieftain to arrest one of the party star witnesses ahead of the January 15, 2025 tribunal sitting.
However, EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale said Okunbor diverted about N6 billion through his company.
A statement by Oyewale reads:” The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a trending video insinuating that 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 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 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.
“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 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.
“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 Ogunbor will be brought to book soon in connection with the alleged N6 billion fraud involving his firm, Kezmith Global Ventures.”
