Family members die in eight days as Ondo agency probes N59m withdrawal

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation into the alleged illegal withdrawal of N59 million from the bank account of a deceased man in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The investigation followed a petition by the deceased’s only surviving child, who reportedly returned from abroad after his father, his father’s first wife and two siblings died in August 2024.

The commission’s Secretary, Professor Adewole Adeyeye, confirmed the investigation on Thursday, saying a suspect identified as Tunde and his mother had been arrested in connection with the alleged financial misconduct.

According to Adeyeye, the deceased died on August 11, 2024, his first wife died three days later, one of their children died on Aug. 16, and another died two days after that.

The surviving child reportedly became suspicious after discovering that N59 million belonging to his late father had allegedly been withdrawn from the account after his death, prompting him to petition the commission.

Meanwhile, Adeyeye said the suspect admitted withdrawing the money but denied involvement in the deaths of his father, stepmother and half-siblings, adding that investigators had not established any connection between the alleged financial dealings and the deaths.

The commission also alleged that some properties belonging to the deceased, including buildings, shops, a resort and parcels of land, had been sold, while Adeyeye said investigators had so far recovered N10 million from the proceeds.

However, Adeyeye said the commission, headed by Justice Williams Akin Akintoroye, would continue its investigation and explore an amicable resolution of the family dispute, stressing that anyone found culpable would face appropriate legal action.