Director General, Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the arrest of former governor Ifeanyi Okowa by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as reported by a section of the media does not in any way fracture his enviable reputation.
Dr Oghenesivbe made the assertion on Monday night, saying that under the legal principle of presumption of innocence, Senator Okowa may be interrogated and released without criminal prosecution or until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction
He noted that EFCC usually invite suspects based on criminal allegations, which may be true or false, and the Law recognizes the innocence of all accused persons until proven otherwise.
The Bureau Chief further stated that in the instant case, former governor Okowa, made himself available to EFCC, and did not abscond from Nigeria as we are made to understand in somw.cases under investigation.
Dr Oghenesivbe Latimore, who was Okowa’s Executive Assistant on Communications from 2017 to May 29, 2023, appealed to the good people of Delta State, to keep their fingers crossed, pray for Senator Okowa, adding that he may be innocent at the end of EFCC investigation.Director General, Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the arrest of former governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as reported by a section of the media does not in any way fracture his enviable reputation.
Dr Oghenesivbe made the assertion on Monday night, saying that under the legal principle of presumption of innocence, Senator Okowa may be interrogated and released without criminal prosecution or until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction .He noted that EFCC usually invite suspects based on criminal allegations, which may be true or false, and the Law recognizes the innocence of all accused persons until proven otherwise.
The Bureau Chief further stated that in the instant case, former governor Okowa, made himself available to EFCC, and did not abscond from Nigeria as we are made to understand in somw.cases under investigation.
Dr Oghenesivbe Latimore, who was Okowa’s Executive Assistant on Communications from 2017 to May 29, 2023, appealed to the good people of Delta State, to keep their fingers crossed, pray for Senator Okowa, adding that he may be innocent at the end of EFCC investigation.
“There is no cause for alarm. It’s an established procedure in criminal matters to have a suspect arrested based on allegations in form of a petition to the commission.
“Arrest is not a proof of guilt, and not a judgment by a Court of competent jurisdiction.
The allegations shall be tested in Court or Courts if the need arises. It’s important for us to keep our fingers crossed.”
It will be recalled that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and detained former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa into custody over accusations of misappropriating N1.3 trillion in state funds.
The arrest took place on Monday, with officials alleging that Okowa diverted funds intended as part of the 13% derivation allocation designated for oil-producing states.
