The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday explained why it has dropped money laundering charges against controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
According to the anti-graft agency, money laundering charges against the male Barbie doll have been dropped following his confessional statement in court about naira abuse and revelations by the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML. was not a Scheduled Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DNFIBP and therefore could not be prosecuted for flouting the provisions of the Prevention and Prohibition of Money Laundering Act, 2022.
Bilikis Bala, head of the prosecution team representing the anti-corruption agency, added that he appeared before the House of Representatives Investigative Committee investigating the ₦15 million bribery case involving Bobrisky and the EFCC and gave an explanation on this point. Ta. The power to amend charges is well within the authorities’ powers.
Mr. Bala denied insinuations that the EFCC or its operatives had accepted bribes to drop the charges against Mr. Bobrisky.
“We initially suspected 6 cases of naira abuse and money laundering based on his confessional statements that his company, Bob Express, was not registered with SCUML and did not provide any benefits to SCUML. Three charges were filed against Okunyi: charges 1 to 4 related to naira abuse and charges 5 and 6 related to money laundering.
Mr. Okney’s admission that he had not registered his company, Bob Express, with SCUML and had not made any returns to the company formed the basis for the money laundering charge, which was originally included in the six-count indictment. However, when we wrote to SCUML regarding our situation, the department responded that we are not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, or DNFIBP. We cannot legally support the charges in good faith. We therefore withdrew them and relied on the four charges of Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty,” she said.
Prosecutors rejected claims of financial inducement in dropping the charges, arguing that no such thing happened.
“There’s no basis for that at all. The ACJA Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows for amendment of charges. It’s a professional practice. It’s ridiculous for anyone to blame our decisions on financial issues. Why did we write to SCUML if we didn’t want to include the charges? We wrote a letter to get legal guidance, but when the department responded that it did not violate the law, what? Should the money laundering charges have been suspended on such grounds?” she said.
