The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday confirmed that money laundering charges against the controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky were dropped.
Earlier, The New Daily Prime, social media influencer Martins ‘VeryDarkMan’ Otse shared leaked audio on his Instagram page, in which Bobrisky alleged that the EFCC accepted N15 million to drop the charges against him.
In a statement, the anti-graft agency clarified the situation, noting that Bilikisu Bala, a prosecutor with the commission, addressed a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives.
The Committee was investigating allegations of corruption against certain EFCC officers and members of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
Bala explained that the decision to drop the money laundering charges against Bobrisky was lawful and in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
She further informed the Committee that the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) had disclosed that Bobrisky’s firm, Bob Express, was not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business, and Profession (DNFIBP).
She said as a result, the firm could not be prosecuted for violations under the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act of 2022.
“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 did not render 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 of Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty”, she said.
Furthermore, Bala said the prosecutor dismissed claims of financial inducement in dropping charges maintaining that no such thing happened.
“There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows the 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?”, she said.
Bala, accompanied by senior management of the EFCC, urged the Committee to thoroughly examine all allegations against the Commission and to ensure that its findings are transparently shared in the interest of justice.
Michael Nzekwe, Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman and commander of the EFCC, emphasized the Commission’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity among its personnel, reiterating the importance of this core value.
“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.
