The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refuted claims that Jonathan Ogunbor is a witness for the Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as claimed by the former party flag bearer, Asue Ighodalo, in the election tribunal.
The EFCC stated that Jonathan Ogunbor, a suspect under investigation for an alleged N6 billion misappropriation of funds from 18 local government areas of Edo state, made such insinuations in a trending video.
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesman, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday.
EFCC said that “ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, owned by Ogunbor. The suspect was running the ventures using the name and identity of Godfrey Emode.
“The Commission’s investigators, in their quest to unearth the shadiness of Ogunbor, arrested Emode, who led them to the suspect in Eterno Hotel, where a pre-trial meeting was being held.
“Investigators interrogated the counsel to Ighodalo on the status of Ogunbor in the election tribunal matters, and he clearly stated that he was not a witness in the matter.
“In spite of this, Ighodalo and his co-travellers at Eterno Hotel prevented EFCC officers from carrying out their constitutional duty and obstructed them from arresting Ogunbor. Specifically, Ighodalo insisted that Ogunbor was his witness when it was obvious that he only wanted to aid his escape from the Commission’s investigators.
EFCC said it has no business with any Edo State election witness that has no corruption charge before it. Also, in defence said it will anyone to trial if it has a basis for doing so in adherence to the rule of law.
“The public is assured that Jonathan Ogunbor will be brought to book soon in connection with the alleged N6 billion fraud involving his firm, Kezmith Global Ventures, EFCC noted.
