The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that the agency investigated Jerry Eze, founder and lead pastor of Streams of Joy International, for six months.
Mr Olukoyede, who spoke on Wednesday at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja, said the convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD), an online prayer platform on YouTube, was probed over allegations of money laundering.
Mr Olukoyede explained that the investigation followed intelligence reports and petitions received by the commission, particularly after it observed inflows of foreign currencies into the pastor’s domiciliary account.
Mr Olukoyede said, “I never wanted to say it, but I just felt that’s my little way of making this contribution. I investigated this man, (Jerry Eze), for six months, yes, for money laundering. We work by intelligence; we work by petitions. At some point, I saw that there was an account, a domiciliary account, where dollars and pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo. I asked, ‘Who is this man?’ Yes, I had been hearing his name.
“I had seen his face a couple of times. I mean, I was never bothered about what he was doing; I knew he was a pastor. So they said, ‘It is one, Pastor Jerry of Streams of Joy, go and investigate him.’ So we went into the investigation and combed through the books. Yes, we saw the money coming in. Then my Investigating Officer, IO, 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.’”
Invitation
Additionally, the anti-graft agency’s boss said that, when the pastor honoured the commission’s invitation, the 43-year-old attempted to explain the source of the funds.
He added that he cut him short, stating that the EFCC had already completed its investigation, and noted that he commended Mr Eze for generating legitimate income.
“So, he came to my office. I saw him, I had seen that face before, I knew it, but I didn’t realise it was him at first because he came in wearing baggy trousers, you know, a small T-shirt and some punk styling with patting. I was almost going to say, ‘Go and call your pastor, my friend. You are not the one, go and bring your bishop.’ So, I took a second look.
“I looked at his face again and said, ‘Okay, you are Pastor Jerry.’ He said, ‘Yes, sir.’ I said, ‘Go and sit beside me.’ So, he told me what happened and all of that, how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people and so on. I said, ‘You know what? I didn’t call you here to explain to me. I called you to commend you.’”
Validation
He added that, although many people associate the commission with its dealings with criminals and suspects, he wants the EFCC recognised for engaging with individuals of proven integrity.
Citing the alumnus of Abia State University as one of such individuals the agency has worked with, he said a validation letter would be issued to him.
“I also have a preventive, you know, mandate. The EFCC should be identified with people who have integrity. We must drum them up, we must drum them up, and you are one of them.
“The only thing that remains now is to give you a letter of validation, but I’m not going to do that, because I will continue to monitor your finances.”
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Furthermore, Mr Olukoyede revealed that several pastors and imams were in his custody, undergoing investigation for alleged money laundering and related offences.
Reacting to the involvement of religious leaders in such acts, he said: “Sometimes I don’t, how I wish we change the world, church and mosque, how I wish we adopt the phrase, an assembly of righteous people, who have the spirit of God, rather than using a church, because over a church you have pastors, you have bishops, over a mosque you have imams.
“I tell you, I have a lot of them in my holding facility as I’m talking to you. And I have a lot of them that are convicted for fraudulent practices, so sad. So it’s what comes out of your heart, you’re a righteous man.”
