THE ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the General Overseer of the Faith on the Rock Ministry International, Apostle Theophilus Ebonyi, was arrested by the commission in June 2023 over fraud allegation, but released on bail.
The EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the explanation followed the denial by Ebonyi that he was never arrested by the EFCC.
The overseer’s denial was in reaction to the statement by the EFCC spokesman issued on Feb. 5, about the arrest, which created the impression that the incident was recent. Animated
RELATED NEWS:
EFCC Arrests General Overseer Over Alleged N1.3bn Fake Grants, Money Laundering
TUC, FOBTOB Protest Against Shutting Down Alcoholic Sachet Drink Factories By NAFDAC
FEES HIKE: Michael Okpara Varsity Shuts Down Indefinitely Over Students’ Protest
Union Leaders, Civil Servants Accuse President Tinubu Of Insensitivity To Workers’ Welfare
Oyewale, however, said the pastor’s claim that he was never arrested was not true because EFCC arrested him in June 2023 over alleged financial crime and was only released on bail.
“Mr Ebonyi was on bail having been arrested and then released last year.
“He had been arrested over a long period of time, but because of the investigation that we were doing, we did not issue any statement,” he added.
The pastor had in a video posted on Facebook in a video statement Me Ebonyi posted on Facebook, and a voice note in social media said he was not arrested by the EFCC or any other anti-graft agency.
“That publication out there on the Feb. 5, is not true, it is a lie. I am very fine, I am Okay, I am not in the EFCC custody. I am here with my lawyer, we are discussing the modalities,” he said in the video. (NAN)
1 Comment
EFCC recants : this may be witch hunting because there ought to have been a statement at the time of arrest, so why not? And why is the information coming at a time that issues bordering on the grant disbursement have taken a confused bend? Methinks that there is more to the timing of this news release than meets the eye and ear because the past wasn’t in contention at all. Let us try our best to be more objective in this our country as we ought to have confidence in powerful institutions of government like the efcc being tools of good governance.