The House of Representatives Committee investigating allegations of corruption against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigeria Correctional Service will visit the Lagos offices of the two agencies on Monday, October 21, 2024.
The allegations were made by controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, through a recorded telephone conversation obtained by a social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
The Chairman of the investigating committee, Ginger Onwusibe, told The PUNCH on Monday that the committee would visit Lagos for its investigation.
On Monday, October 1, the panel grilled officials of the EFCC, NCoS and VeryDarkMan over claims that Okuneye allegedly paid the sum of N15m to effect the drop of the money laundering charges against him.
Okuneye was convicted on April 5, 2024, by the Federal High Court in Lagos and sentenced to six months in prison for the abuse of the naira.
On August 5, 2024, Okuneye regained his freedom amid allegations of receiving preferential treatment while in custody.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following the development, ordered an investigation and the immediate suspension of the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, Michael Anugwa, and the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, Sikiru Adekunle.
Fielding questions from the panel, Otse, who presented an audio recording of Bobrisky, claimed that the crossdresser disclosed that he never spent time in a prison facility but in a private apartment throughout his incarceration, after allegedly parting with a huge amount of money.
Officials of the EFCC and the NCoS who attended the investigative hearing denied the allegations.
A week after his appearance, Otse released another audio in which Okuneye allegedly claimed that he paid N5m upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in an attempt to secure a Federal Government pardon over money laundering charges filed against him by the EFCC.
According to him, the unnamed SAN had initially requested N10m for his legal services but explained that he (Bobrisky) was unable to raise the full amount as the EFCC had frozen his account.
In the audio, the crossdresser allegedly said, “Truth be told, I won’t lie to you, you’re my person. I’m not in prison, but I’m around there. They got me an apartment because of my godfather. My godfather was able to say, Never, you will not smell that prison. Let the world think that, but you will never.
“So, he was able to talk to the Deputy Controller who said that as long as Bob is not posting or saying anything, they can put me close to the place so I can always come inside and see people, and welcome my family. Nobody needs to know.
“I’m supposed to finish my sentence by July, but if we get the amnesty, I could leave by the first week of next month. The SAN asked for N10m, which I could have transferred, but my account is frozen. My godfather gave me N5m and we sent it to the SAN two weeks ago. He has already submitted the pardon request.”
Before agreeing to speak at the investigative hearing, VeryDarkMan caused a drama, stating that until Bobrisky who allegedly made the allegations was similarly made to face the public, he would not entertain any questions from the panel or the media.
It took pleadings from his counsel, Deji Adeyanju, and committee members for him to change his mind after assurances that Bobrisky would similarly be made to tell his side of the story in a public hearing.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Monday on when the panel would invite Bobrisky for questioning, Onwusibe, who represents Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency of Abia State, said a date would be fixed as soon as the committee returned from a visit to Lagos.
“We are visiting the correctional centre in Lagos and the EFCC office in Lagos on Monday next week (October 21). After our visit, we shall resume hearing,” he said.(Punch)
