Suspect arrested for N6b fraud not witness in Edo election tribunal – EFCC

In a statement on Wednesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated that Okunbor is the prime suspect in a case of alleged misappropriation of funds involving all 18 local government areas of Edo State.

According to the commission, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo, had claimed that the suspect was one of his witnesses in the tribunal.

Oyewale said, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has been drawn to a trending video insinuating that Mr. Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect being investigated for an alleged N6bn fraud, was an election witness.

“The Commission wishes to state without any equivocation that Okunbor is not a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, in the election tribunal as claimed by Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Rather, he is a prime suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving all the 18 local government areas of Edo State.”

According to Oyewale, investigations revealed that approximately N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures, a company owned by Okunbor, adding that the suspect allegedly operated the firm using the identity of Godfrey Emode.

He said, “Ongoing investigations showed that about N6 billion was diverted to Kezmith Global Ventures owned by Okunbor. The suspect was running the ventures using the name and identity of Mr Godfrey Emode. ”

Oyewale disclosed that Emode’s arrest led investigators to Okunbor, who was found at Eterno Hotel during a pre-trial meeting.

He noted that Ighodalo’s lawyer confirmed that Okunbor was not a witness at the tribunal.