Nigeria: Why we dropped money laundering charges against Bobrisky – EFCC

Bobrisky had alleged in a viral video that he offered N15 million as bribe to some unnamed EFCC operatives to drop money laundering charges against him.

Monday, Bilikisu Bala, a EFCC prosecutor, reportedly told a joint committee of the House of Representatives that the money laundering charges dropped during the trial of Idris Okuneye (aka Bobrisky) were legal and consistent with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA ).

The committee is investigating allegations of corruption against some officers of the EFCC and the Nigeria Correctional Service. Other parties summoned include the Comptroller of Lagos Correctional Services Command, Ben Freedman; the board secretary, Ja’afaru Ahmed, and the deputy comptrollers of correctional services in charge of medium and maximum security, Siriku Adekunle and Michael Anugwa.

Bobrisky had alleged in a viral leaked audio released by social media influencer VDM (born Martins Otse) that he offered N15 million as bribe to some anonymous EFCC operatives to they drop the money laundering charges against him.

Premium Times reported in April that Bobrisky was arrested for money laundering and mutilation of Naira. During his trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Abimbola Awogboro dismissed the money laundering charges (counts five and six) but sentenced Bobrisky to six months in prison for misusing Naira.

In a letter issued on Friday, the committee summoned the Chairman of the EFCC and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service to appear in court on Monday with all officers implicated in the allegation.

Bobrisky, the central figure in the case, was visibly absent from the hearing. His lawyer appeared on his behalf, saying his client’s absence was due to illness. The lawmakers, in response, asked why Bobrisky’s lawyer did not bring a “sick letter” to prove that Bobrisky was indeed ill.

Money laundering charges

According to a statement issued by the EFCC, Ms. Bala, head of the prosecution team handling Bobrisky’s trial, told the committee that the charges were dropped based on the revelation by the Special Monitoring Unit against the money laundering (SCUML) that Okuneye’s company, Bob Express, was not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession (DSNFIBP) and could not be prosecuted for flouting the provisions of the SCUML Act. 2022 on the prevention and prohibition of money laundering.

“We initially brought six counts bordering on Naira abuse and money laundering against Okuneye based on his admissions that his company, Bob Express, was not registered with SCUML and was not giving him back Counts 1 to 4 related to the abuse of Naira, while counts five and six related to money laundering.

“Okuneye’s admissions that he failed to register his company, Bob Express, with SCUML and render returns to it shed light on the money laundering charges initially included in the six counts. However, when we wrote to SCUML about the status of the company, the unit responded that it was not a designated non-financial institution, business or profession. legally support the charges with all sincerity So we dropped them and relied on the four counts of mutilation of Naira to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty, she said.

Zero financial incentive

The prosecutor rejected allegations of financial inducement against EFCC officials, saying nothing of the sort happened.

“There is simply no basis for this. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) allows for the amendment of charges. This is a professional practice. It is ridiculous for anyone to attribute our decision to monetary issues Why did we write to SCUML if we did not want to include the charges? We wrote to be guided by the law, and when the Unit responded that the company had not violated any law, on what law. basis should we have retained the money laundering charges?

Mrs. Bala, who appeared before the commission with top management of the EFCC, charged the commission to critically examine all issues raised against the EFCC and make public its findings in the interest of justice.

The Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Michael Nzekwe, who replaced the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, reiterated the seriousness the commission attached to the integrity of its staff.

“We have taken seriously the allegations of corruption against our officers. Integrity is one of our core values. That is why we are here to place all the facts involved in the Okuneye trial into the public domain” , he said.