On Monday, Bilikisu Bala, a prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), informed a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives that the decision to drop money laundering charges against Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, was lawful and in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The EFCC released a statement on September 30, clarifying Bala’s remarks to the investigative committee regarding the charges against Okuneye. She explained that the charges were dismissed following information from the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), which indicated that Okuneye’s business, Bob Express, was not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession (DNFIBP). Consequently, he could not be prosecuted for violating the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act, 2022.
Bala noted, “We initially filed six counts related to Naira Abuse and Money Laundering based on Okuneye’s confession that his firm was not registered with SCUML and was not submitting returns. Counts 1-4 involved Naira Abuse, while counts five and six pertained to money laundering. However, when we contacted SCUML about the firm’s status, they confirmed it did not fall under DNFIBP. We could not lawfully sustain the charges, so we dropped them and proceeded with the four counts of Naira mutilation to which Okuneye pleaded guilty.”
She dismissed any claims of financial inducement in dropping the charges, asserting, “There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows for the amendment of charges. It’s laughable to attribute our decision to monetary issues. Why would we have contacted SCUML if we didn’t intend to clarify the charges? Their response guided our decision to drop the money laundering charges.”
Bala, accompanied by senior EFCC officials, urged the Committee to thoroughly investigate the allegations against the EFCC and publicly disclose its findings in the interest of justice.
Commander Michael Nzekwe, representing EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to the integrity of its staff, stating, “We take allegations of bribery against our officers very seriously. Integrity is one of our core values, and we are here to present all facts related to Okuneye’s trial.”
Okuneye, who was convicted for Naira abuse, had previously claimed in a viral video that he offered N15 million as a bribe to unnamed EFCC officers to have the money laundering charges dropped.