The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday explained that Jonathan Okunbor was not a witness for former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
The EFCC revealed that Okunbor is one of the main suspects linked to a fund embezzlement case involving 18 local government areas of Edo State.
DAILY POST on Tuesday reported that suspected officials of the EFCC allegedly barged into a hotel in Benin City to arrest a person suspected to be a member of the PDP in the state.
In the 22-second video posted by Mr. Oseni Rufai, one of Arise TV’s analysts on his official X account, which went viral, voices of some people were heard shouting that he should not be arrested .
The people also demanded a valid arrest warrant from the suspected EFCC officials.
According to one of the voices, “He’s been here ever since.” Let me tell you huh. You can’t take him away. Show us a valid arrest warrant so you can arrest him. Arrest is a legal word. If you have a valid warrant, you can. That’s all.
But a party member, who pleaded anonymity, said the EFCC wanted to arrest Ighodalo.
The source said officials from anti-graft agencies visited a hotel owned by a PDP leader to arrest one of the party’s star witnesses ahead of the January 15, 2025 court session.
However, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said Okunbor embezzled about N6 billion through his company.
A statement from Oyewale reads: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a trending video insinuating that Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect under investigation for fraud alleged to be worth N6 billion, was an election witness.
“The Commission wishes to state unequivocally that Okunbor is not a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the electoral tribunal as claimed by Asue Ighodalo. Rather, he is a prime suspect linked to an embezzlement case involving the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
“Ongoing investigations have shown that about N6 billion was diverted to Ogunbor-owned Kezmith Global Ventures. The suspect ran the businesses under the name and identity of Mr. Godfrey Emode.
“Investigators of the Commission, in their quest to uncover Ogunbor’s shadow, arrested Emode who led them to the suspect at Eterno Hotel where a pre-trial meeting was being held.
“Investigators questioned Ighodalo’s lawyer about Ogunbor’s status in the electoral tribunal cases and he clearly stated that he was not a witness in the case.
“Despite this, Mr. Ighodalo and his fellow travelers at the Eterno Hotel prevented the EFCC operatives from carrying out their constitutional duty and prevented them from arresting Ogunbor. Specifically, Ighodalo insisted that Ogunbor was his witness when it was obvious that he only wanted to help him evade the Commission’s investigators.
“The EFCC remains committed to the rule of law and the Commission has no business with an election witness from Edo State who has no charges of corruption before it. The EFCC will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone, witness or not, if it has reason to do so.
“The public is assured that Ogunbor will soon be arraigned in court in connection with the alleged N6 billion fraud involving his company, Kezmith Global Ventures.”