“Dollars, Pounds Were Dropping In Like Raindrops” — EFCC Explains Why Pastor Jerry Eze Was Investigated
By Olumuyiwa Olumuyiwa
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed why the anti-graft agency investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Olukoyede made this disclosure on Wednesday at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
The EFCC boss said the commission decided to focus its investigative beam on the cleric following intelligence reports and petitions.
He added that after commission set to work by keeping tabs on Eze, it observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
Olukoyede said: “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, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.”
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.”
On how the investigation began, he added: “So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books.”
The EFCC chairman said the cleric was later invited for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled.
Speaking on the outcome, Olukoyede said: “So he came to my office. 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.”
He continued, “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.”
Olukoyede noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
He also stressed that the EFCC would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary as part of its preventive mandate.
The EFCC boss further lamented the involvement of some religious leaders in fraudulent practices, noting that several clerics have been investigated and convicted by the commission.
He urged religious institutions to uphold integrity, adding that places of worship should reflect righteousness rather than serve as cover for illicit activities.
