The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially stated that the dismissal of money laundering charges against social media personality Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was lawful and adhered strictly to the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
This revelation came from Bilikisu Bala, a prosecutor with the EFCC, during a hearing before a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Bala, who leads the prosecution team in Okuneye’s case, explained that the charges were dropped after the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) confirmed that Bobrisky’s enterprise, Bob Express, did not qualify as a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession (DSNFIBP).
“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,” Bala stated.
She elaborated on the nature of the charges: “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 with SCUML informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six count charges.”
However, after seeking clarification from SCUML regarding the status of Bob Express, the EFCC was informed that the firm had not breached any laws, leading to the decision to drop the money laundering charges.
“We cannot lawfully sustain the charges in all sincerity. We, therefore, dropped them and relied on the four counts on Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty,” Bala added.
Addressing accusations of financial inducement behind the decision to drop the charges, Bala firmly dismissed such claims. “There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows 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 emphasized.
Bala, accompanied by senior EFCC officials, urged the Committee to thoroughly investigate the allegations against the EFCC and to disclose its findings to ensure transparency and justice. Michael Nzekwe, the Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to integrity, stating, “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.”
This statement follows a viral video in which Okuneye alleged that he had attempted to bribe EFCC officials with N15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Naira) to have the money laundering charges against him dismissed. The unfolding events continue to attract public attention as the EFCC maintains its stance on the legality of the proceedings.
