How I Probed Pastor’s Account Where Foreign Money Was Dropping Like Rain From Abroad -EFCC Chairman Olukoyede
Ola Olukoyede, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Executive Chairman, has opened up on secretly investigating a Nigerian Pastor Jerry Eze, who had a steady flow of foreign lodgements from outside the country.
Speaking at a public forum, he narrated:
I investigated this man for six months. Yeah, for money laundering. We work by intelligence, we work by petitions.
At some point I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account, dollars, pounds were dropping) in like raindrops, you know, from Colombia, from you know, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
I said, who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, you know, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I mean, I was, I never bothered about what he was doing.
So they said he’s one Pastor of Streams of Joy. Go and investigate him So we went to the investigation. We combed the books. Yes, we saw the money coming in.
So my IO, my Investigating Officer came to me one day and said, Sir, this is the criminal report. I said, I’d like to see this man. Go and invite him.
So he came to my office. I saw him. I’ve seen that face, I know.
But I didn’t know it was him because I saw somebody who came in with baggy trousers, you know, small, I mean, t-shirt and some punk and, you know, with parting. I was almost going to say, go and call your Pastor, my friend. Go and bring your Bishop.
So upon a second look, I look at the face. I said, okay, you are Pastor Jerry. He said, yes, sir.
I said, go sit beside me. So we, you know, he told me what happens and all of that and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people and all of that. I said, you know what? I didn’t call you here to explain to me.
We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you.
Thank you very much. Please take your seat. Take your seat.
And I said, look, by virtue of my mandate, people identify us and what we do with criminals, with suspects and all of that. I also have preventive, you know, mandate. EFCC should also be identified with precious people who have integrity.
We must drum them up. We must drum them up. And you are one of them.
The only thing that is remaining now is to give you a letter of validation, but I’m not going to give you because I will still continue to monitor your finances.
