A prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilikisu Bala, on Monday, addressed a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives investigating allegations of corruption involving some EFCC officers and the Nigerian Correctional Service. Bala explained that the decision to drop money laundering charges in the trial of Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, was lawful and in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
In a statement released by the EFCC, Bala, who led the prosecution team in Okuneye’s trial, informed the Committee that the charges were withdrawn after the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) clarified that Okuneye’s company, Bob Express, was not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession (DNFIBP), making it ineligible for prosecution under the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act of 2022.
“We initially filed six charges against Okuneye, including Naira abuse and money laundering, based on his admission that Bob Express was not registered with SCUML and was not submitting required returns,” Bala said. “However, upon inquiry, SCUML confirmed that the firm did not fall under the DNFIBP category, leaving no legal basis to pursue the money laundering charges. As a result, we dropped them and proceeded with the four counts of Naira abuse, to which Okuneye pleaded guilty.”
Bala refuted claims that the charges were dropped due to financial inducement, stating that the decision was made according to legal standards. “There is no merit to allegations of bribery. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows for the amendment of charges, and it is a standard legal procedure. Suggesting that we were influenced by money is absurd. We wrote to SCUML for guidance, and when they confirmed that no laws were violated, there was no justification to continue with the money laundering charges.”
Bala, accompanied by senior EFCC management, urged the Committee to thoroughly review all allegations against the EFCC and make its findings public to ensure transparency and justice.
The Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Commander Michael Nzekwe, who represented EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to integrity. “We take allegations of bribery very seriously. Integrity is a core value of the EFCC, and that’s why we are here to present all the facts of Okuneye’s trial.”
Okuneye, convicted for Naira abuse, had claimed in a viral video that he offered a N15 million bribe to unnamed EFCC officers to drop the money laundering charges against him.