EFCC Probe: Magu’s Lawyer, Rubbishes Presidential Panel, Says It Is On A Fishing Mission To Nail Magu |The Source

By Gideon Njoku

Mr Tosin Ojaomo, Counsel to the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, CP Ibrahim Magu,  has slammed the Presidential Panel investigating Magu.

Ojaomo says the Panel is on a fishing mission, and has not carried on in a fair manner. He added that the Panel is on “a fishing mission to nail Magu by all means.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a Presidential Panel to look into the affairs of the EFCC under Magu.

The five-man panel is headed by a retired President of the Court of Appeal, the Hon. Justice Ayo Salami.

On July the 6th, after the Panel had sat, for weeks, with the knowledge of just a few trusted individuals, it ordered the arrest of Magu. He was subsequently intercepted on his way from his office to attend a meeting at the Force Headquarters, by an Assistant Commissioner of  Police, who rail-roaded him to the venue of the Panel, the old Banquet Hall, in the Villa to face interrogation.

He was put in the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, and was released, on bail,  after nine days.

The Panel was set up, based on allegations against Magu, raised in a petition to the President, by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Abubakar had listed 22 allegations against Magu, bordering on alleged non-transparency, corruption and insubordination.

The Panel had since, then, been sitting. But on Tuesday, Magu’s Counsel, Ojaomo, condemned the Panel, accusing it of unfairness.

His reaction stemmed from the appearance of Mike Ozekhome, SAN, before the Panel to testify, allegedly, against Magu.

Ojaomo’s position is that it was wrong for the Panel to  invite Ozekhome who, he described as a known critic of Magu and the EFCC.

He, also, described as unfortunate  a situation where his Client is not given the copy of petitions against him, while petitioners are invited by the Panel.

He ,also, accused Ozekhome of being on a revenge mission because his account was frozen, but later unfrozen, by the EFCC under Magu.

His words, while speaking to The Punch on Ozekhome’s appearance: “We are aware of the visit of Chief Ozekhome. His grouse is the freezing of his account in 2017, which was later unfrozen.

“Unfortunately, it only goes on to show that the  Panel is on a fishing expedition, because the Panel is, also, inviting people who have a score to settle with Magu.

“This is not how Panels are supposed to act. We all remember how the Justice Oputa Panel conducted itself professionally, many years ago. People, who were invited were given petitions  ahead of time so that they could defend themselves. Till date, Magu has not received any petition. Is this fair?”

Ozekhome, allegedly, submitted to the Panel, while testifying before it, six exhibits, which included two video clips and some documents.

During his about two-hour session with the Panel, Ozekhome was said to have spoken in the alleged failures of Magu, and the deficiencies of the investigative methods of the EFCC. He also condemned the media trial method of the Commission, and suggested ways to improve its operations.

Reports say Magu, a Commissioner of Police, has not yet, defended himself before the Panel.

But the Senior  Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, said in an interview on Channels Television, recently, that from the snippets from the Panel, Nigerians should prepare themselves for a shock when the Panel submits its report.

On Wednesday,  The Federal Government, speaking through the Minister for Information and Culture, said there will be no sacred cows in the EFCC investigation as anybody found guilty will not be spared.