Bilikisu Bala, a prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated on Monday that the decision to drop money laundering charges in the trial of Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was in full compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Bala, who led the prosecution team, clarified that the charges were dismissed following a disclosure by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), confirming that Okuneye’s firm, Bob Express, was not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) and thus could not be prosecuted under the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act of 2022.
In her address to the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives investigating allegations of corruption against EFCC officers and the Nigeria Correctional Service, Bala explained that six charges were initially brought against Okuneye, four relating to naira abuse and two to money laundering.
However, after SCUML confirmed that Bob Express was not a DNFI, the EFCC could not lawfully sustain the money laundering charges and therefore dropped them, relying only on the naira abuse charges to which Okuneye had already pleaded guilty.
Bala dismissed allegations that financial inducement influenced the dropping of charges, emphasizing that the EFCC’s actions were based on legal principles and professional practices under the ACJA.
She explained that the EFCC had written to SCUML for guidance and, upon receiving the clarification, amended the charges accordingly.
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