The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed why it dropped the money laundering charges against crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, known publicly as Bobrisky.
The situation arose after social media influencer, Verydarkman shared an audio recording in which Bobrisky was allegedly heard saying that he paid N15 million to the EFCC to drop the money laundering charges against him.
On Monday, Bilikisu Bala, a prosecutor with the EFCC, addressed a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives, which was investigating allegations of corruption within the Commission and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS).
Bala explained that the decision to drop the money laundering charges against Bobrisky was legally sound and followed the guidelines of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
In his statement, Bala informed the House Committee that the charges were dropped after the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) confirmed that Bobrisky’s company, Bob Express, was not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business, and Profession (DNFIBP). Therefore, the company couldn’t be prosecuted under the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act of 2022.
She said, “We initially raised six count charges bordering on Naira Abuse and Money Laundering against Okuneye based on his confessional statement that his firm, Bob Express, was not registered with SCUML and was not rendering returns to it.
“Counts 1-4 were on Naira Abuse while counts five and six were on money laundering. Okuneye’s confession that he didn’t register his firm, Bob Express with SCUML and not rendering returns to it informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six count charges.
“However, when we wrote to SCUML on the status of the firm, the Unit responded that it was not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DNFIBP. We cannot lawfully sustain the charges in all sincerity. We, therefore dropped them and relied on the four counts on Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty.”
Bala dismissed the accusations of bribery, stating, “There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows amendment of charges. It is a professional practice.
“It is laughable for anyone to attribute our decision to monetary issues. Why did we write to SCUML if we didn’t want to include the charges? We wrote to be lawfully guided and when the Unit responded that the firm had not breached any law, on what basis should we have retained the money laundering charges?”
Appearing before the Committee with senior EFCC officials, Bala urged the panel to thoroughly investigate all allegations against the Commission to ensure justice is served.
Chief of Staff to the EFCC’s Chairman, Commander Michael Nzekwe, who represented the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, emphasized the importance of integrity within the Commission.
“We viewed the allegation of bribery against our officers seriously. Integrity is one of our core values. This is why we are here to place all the facts involved in the trial of Okuneye in the public domain,” he said.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had warned that any NCoS officials found involved in Bobrisky’s scandal will face serious repercussions.
