How EFCC investigated Pastor Jerry Eze for money laundering claims — Olukoyede

Pastor Jerry Eze The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has said that the commission investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.

Olukoyede disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja. As said by him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.

“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 stated 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. “So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede noted. The EFCC boss noted he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.

He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing. “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. “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,” he said.

The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation. He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.

The EFCC chairman, also, said that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption. Olukoyede also lamented the involvement of some religious leaders in fraudulent practices, noting that several clerics have been investigated and convicted by the commission. He called on religious institutions to uphold integrity, adding that places of worship should reflect righteousness rather than serve as cover for illicit activities.