EFCC set to begin titanic legal battle against Ooni of ife, Oba Ogunwusi over alleged N400million forgery
- As Activist joins EFCC witnesses
The authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has concluded arrangement to commence the titanic legal battle against the new Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his Company, Metropole Interproject Limited over an alleged Offence of forgery, Fraudulent Conversion and obtaining the sum of N400million by false Pretence, saying that the Commission would prosecute the matter without considering the parties involved as nobody above the law.
Storming the Lagos State office of the Commission on Tuesday, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) team led by its Counsel, Barrister Rotimi Adenekan on the invitation of the Commission (EFCC), the CHRSJ’s Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman has made to join the league of the witnesses to the anti-graft body on the forgery allegation against Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, where he wrote a statement in support of the group’s Petition Letter dated Monday 2nd November, 2015.
The officer (name withheld) from the Economic and Governance Crime (EGC 1) department of the Commission that attended to the group’s team, maintained that the business of the Commission was to investigate any matter before it and subsequently, charge the matter to court for fair trial of the case.
When asking, why the Commission did not stop the ascension throne process of the Oba Ogunwusi as Ooni of Ife by writing the King makers of Ile-Ife over the development? Because the matter has been on before his (Ogunwusi) emergency as monarch of the source, she replied that the Commission did not have the mandate and power to intervene in such a process.
Speaking further on the matter, she disclosed that the present regime was not joking with the fight against corruption and the Commission did not relent in its effort to get to the root of this matter without minding the present position of the new Ooni of Ife,Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, adding that there was face to the petition .
According to her: “There is an allegation of Offence of forgery, Fraudulent Conversion and obtaining the sum of N400million by false Pretence which involved the immediate past Ooni of Ife, Late Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubuse 11 Business Empire, against the then Prince (now) Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi before his (Ogunwusi) emergency as monarch of the source and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will investigate Oba Ogunwusi without minding his present position as nobody is above the law. Our Commission does not empower and mandate to stop his Obaship process of ascending the throne. We have written the affected Ministries to furnish the Commission the necessary documents in respect of the case”.
While addressing the officers of Commission before written his statement, Comrade Sulaiman declared that the group was pursuing the matter to ensure justice was prevailed at the end of the day, explaining that nobody was covered with the immunity from criminal investigation and prosecution in Nigeria, except President/Vice-President and Governor/Deputy-Governor.
Commending the Commission for re-awaking the matter and ready to get to the root of the matter, insisting that the people of the country were looking for the EFCC of its former boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu when there was no sacred cow, adding that the matter was beyond pecuniary consideration but for the interest of the public and social justice.
Sulaiman in his statement, urged the Commission to invite the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rotimi Jacob who initiated the Petition on the issue and Professor Gabriel Olawoyin, SAN to join the witnesses of the commission on the matter, adding that every logical mind, the gold is gold, regardless of whether a Prince or beggar is holding it in his hand.
He added: “Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi had no reputation to protect until he clears his name. Oba Ogunwusi cannot champion unity in Yorubaland because anybody that will be preaching unity Yorubaland and equity should be man of impeccable character. There is need for inculcation of moral value to our society through the palace in every community in the land and anybody that would occupy the position of authority should come with integrity in order to serve as a good example to younger generation.
