January 15, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has accused Dr. Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State candidate, of preventing its officers from arresting Mr Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving all the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
A statement by the Spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, dismissed the claim that Okunbor is a witness of the PDP in its case at the Edo governorship election petition tribunal.
According to Oyewale, investigators had 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.
Oyewale said ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, owned by Okunbor, maintaining that the suspect was running the ventures using the name and identity of Mr Godfrey Emode.
He added that the commission’s investigators, in their quest to unearth the shadiness of Okunbor, arrested Emode, who led them to the suspect in Eterno Hotel, where a pre-trial meeting was being held.
He said, “Despite this, Mr. Ighodalo and his co-travelers 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 commission wishes to state without any equivocation that Okunbor is not a witness of the 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.”
Oyewale noted that the EFCC remains committed to its adherence to the rule of law and has no business with any Edo State election witness who has no corruption charge before it.
He added that the agency will not hesitate to bring anyone to trial, witness or no witness, if it has a basis for doing so.
He assured the public that Okunbor will be brought to book soon in connection with the alleged N6 billion fraud involving his firm, Kezmith Global Ventures.
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