The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Monday denied reports alleging that about N900 million (Nine Hundred Million Naira) of mutilated naira notes, which is the subject of prosecution at a Federal High Court in Ibadan kept in its custody turned to paper.
The anti-graft commission said it got to know about the money when the Central bank of Nigeria in 2015 reported that they should investigate some of its staff for tampering with supposed monies in a box.
“EFCC operatives visited the CBN office in Ibadan to inspect the said boxes and discovered that the monies had been tampered with,” EFCC said in a statement.
“This discovery was what informed the EFCC’s involvement in the case, resulting in the interrogation of suspects and subsequent prosecution.
“At no point were the boxes of the mutilated naira notes taken to the office of the EFCC.”
The suspects were identified as Patience Okoro Eye, Afolabi Olufemi Johnson, Ilori Adekunle Sunday, Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf.
EFCC said the suspects were charged on a count one and two for abuse of office and contribution to the economic adversity of Nigeria.
The commission, however, said it had nothing to the with the money as reported but instead the Court mandated the EFCC to present them (the boxes) at the next hearing as evidence.
“This is a clear departure from the mischievous accounts of naysayers who erroneously misinterpreted the position of the court to claim that the boxes were tampered with by the EFCC!”
EFCC said the members of the public should ignore such misinformation, as it is only being spread to cause harm, unnecessary sensationalism and create doubt in the minds of citizens.
The commission also said the kingpin suspect in one of the cases and former staff of Zenith bank Mayowa Onabanjo, is wanted and currently at large.