EVENTS

Money Laundering Charges against Bobrisky were Dropped Lawfully- EFCC

Published

3 months ago

September 30, 2024

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A Prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Bilikisu Bala on Monday, September 30, 2024, told a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives investigating allegations of corruption against some officers of the Commission, and the Nigeria Correctional Service that charges of money laundering dropped in the trial of Idris Okuneye (a.k.a Bobrisky) were lawful and in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA.

Bala, head of the prosecution team that handled the trial of Okuneye pointed out to the Committee that the charges were dropped based on the disclosure of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML, that Okunenye’s firm, Bob Express, was not a Designated Non Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DSNFIBP, and could not be prosecuted for flouting provisions of the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act, 2022.

“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.

Counts 1-4 were on Naira Abus, while counts five and six were on money laundering. Okuneye’s confession that he didn’t register his firm, Bob Express with SCUML and not rendering returns to it informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six count charges.

However, when we wrote to SCUML on the status of the firm, the Unit responded that it was not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DSNFIBP. 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”, she said.

The prosecutor dismissed claims of financial inducement in dropping charges maintaining that no such thing happened.

“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 said.

Bala, who appeared before the Committee with top management staff of the EFCC, charged the Committee to critically look into all the issues raised against the EFCC and make public its findings in the interest of justice. Chief of Staff to the EFCC’s Chairman, Commander of the EFCC, CE Michael Nzekwe who stood for the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede restated the seriousness the Commission attached to integrity of its staff. “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”, he said.

Okuneye, an ex-convict, had alleged in a viral video that he offered N15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Naira) as a bribe to some unnamed EFCC officers to drop money laundering charges against him.

Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories

EVENTS

Anambra State Govt. Rescues 13 Children From Traffickers, Arrests Suspects

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18 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

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Anambra State Govt. Rescues 13 Children From Traffickers, Arrests Suspects

By OCHA Brigade Media

13 children have been rescued from suspected child traffickers in Otolo Nnewi by a joint taskforce of Operation Clean And Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade and Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs.

The joint taskforce also confiscated fake documents that aided the trafficking.

The children were found malnourished and have been denied education.

Report say that the trafficker adopts and sold children to people from different parts of the country.

The suspected trafficker, Angela Okechukwu and her collaborators were also arrested.

Speaking, the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Comrade Celestine Anere who frowned at the poor health condition the children who are aged between two and twelve years are subjected to, assured that the state government will continue to crack down on all sorts of illegality and warning all criminal minded individuals to relocate from the state or face the full wrath of the law.

Some of the residents of the community, Ikechukwu Nnabuike and Ifechukwu Okoro recalled several interventions they had made against the woman but fell on deaf ears and appreciated the state government for the rapid intervention to end the unlawful act.

EVENTS

Nigerian Army Announces Massive Promotion Of 108 Officers

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2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

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The Nigerian Army has announced the promotion of 108 senior officers, including 35 Brigadier Generals elevated to the rank of Major General and 73 Colonels promoted to Brigadier General.

The Army Council approved the promotions on Thursday, as announced in a statement by Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, on Friday.

Among those promoted to Major General are Brigadier Generals A. Garba, Acting Provost Marshal, and U.M. Alkali, Deputy Chief of Administration at the Directorate of Veteran Affairs. Others include A.G.L. Haruna, Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, and I.A. Ajose, Acting GOC 8 Division.

Similarly, officers elevated from Colonel to Brigadier General include Col. S.M. Iliya, Commander 43 Engineers Brigade, Col. O. Igwe, Commander 78 Supply and Transport, and Col. N.S. Onuchukwu, Chief Medical Director at 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, among others.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, congratulated the newly promoted officers and urged them to justify their elevation through exemplary leadership, innovative strategies, and unwavering loyalty to their oath of allegiance and the Nigerian Constitution.

He emphasized the importance of tackling contemporary security challenges and maintaining the trust placed in them by their elevation.

EVENTS

Royal Visit: Ooni of Ife Lauds FCT Customs Command

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

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The Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, on Monday, 16 December 2024, paid a familiarisation visit to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Abuja.

In a statement signed on 16 December 2024 by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Tarvershima Ansha, the monarch was warmly received by the Customs Area Controller, (CAC) Comptroller Olu Adebisi, whom he commended for his outstanding contributions to the Service. The Ooni stated that the purpose of his visit was to assess the progress of one of their own and expressed satisfaction with Adebisi’s achievements.

Speaking during the visit, Comptroller Adebisi expressed gratitude for the Ooni’s recognition, describing the visit as a significant morale booster. He encouraged other traditional rulers to emulate the Ooni by supporting and motivating their subjects in national service. “On behalf of the Officers and Men of Nigeria Customs Service, FCT Area Command, I want to thank you for this visit” Adebisi stated

The statement noted that before departing, the Ooni offered royal blessings to the officers, urging them to remain diligent in their duties for the greater good of the nation.

According to statement, the visit highlights the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to fostering collaboration, in line with one of the policy thrusts of Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.