September 30, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has justified its decision to drop money laundering charges against Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
Prosecutor Bilikisu Bala told a House of Representatives joint committee investigating corruption allegations that the charges were dropped lawfully, complying with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The EFCC initially filed six counts, including Naira abuse and money laundering, based on Bobrisky’s confession that his firm, Bob Express, was unregistered with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML).
However, after SCUML clarified that Bob Express was not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, the EFCC dropped the money laundering charges, proceeding with the four counts of Naira mutilation to which Bobrisky pleaded guilty.
Bala denied allegations of financial inducement, emphasizing that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows charge amendments as a professional practice.
Bala said, “ 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 Abuse while counts five and six were on money laundering. Okuneye’s confession that he didn’t register his firm, Bob Express with SCUML and did not render returns to it informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six-count. 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 or Profession.
“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.”
“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 asked.
