• Ibrahim Magu

  He hasn’t been brought before panel since last Thursday, says his lawyer

• Adds he’s yet to see allegations against him

• IGP writes Magu’s lawyer, says he has no hands in his detention

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Henry Ojelu

Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, was yesterday granted bail by the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel investigating allegations levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Magu’s lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, who confirmed this to Vanguard last night, said no terms were given for his release. He was released yesterday evening.

Prior to his release, Shittu had complained that his client had not appeared before by the panel for days. Shittu said in a letter submitted to the panel earlier yesterday that his client last appeared before it about a week ago.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, had also told the suspended EFCC chairman that the police had no hand in his detention, following a letter written to him by one of Magu’s lawyers, Tosun Ojaomo, asking for bail for his client.

This is even as the AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN, wrote the acting chairman of the anti-graft commission, Mohammed Umar, on Tuesday, notifying him of the suspension of 12 directors of the agency.

Magu was arrested on July 6 over allegations of failure to properly account for loot recovered under his watch between May 2015 and May 2020.

READ ALSO: ICYMI: MAGU VS MALAMI: Real reasons behind five years cold war

He was later moved to Area 10, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja, where he had spent nights since his arrest.

Magu’s release confirmed

Also confirming his release, one of his lawyers, Tosin Ojaomo, said on Channels TV programme, ‘Politics Today’, that if the Justice Ayo Salami panel eventually found Magu not culpable of the allegations against him, he should be reinstated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Also speaking on the programme, Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser Media to the President said though he was not a lawyer to determine if the panel was justified in detaining Magu for 10 days, the panel might have taken measures to ensure that relevant documents needed in connection with the investigations were not tampererd with.

He noted that before Magu was invited, the panel had sat for weeks over the allegations of corruption and determined there was need for the suspended acting chairman to appear before it.

‘’It is against this backdrop that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the panel the mandate to invite Mr. Magu to answer to the allegations against him,’’ Adesina said.

‘Magu not brought before panel since last Thursday’

According to Shittu, Magu has not been brought before the panel between last Thursday and Tuesday.

He said his client was taken to the venue of the panel’s sitting on the days listed only to wait from 9am to 9pm before being taken back into custody. He said the clarification became necessary after it was reported that Magu was grilled by the panel on Monday.

The letter read: “The allegation that our client was grilled by the Panel on Monday, 13th July 2020, as reported above is a complete falsehood.

“The correct position was that our client and his counsel (Mr Wahab Shittu) arrived at the venue of the ongoing Investigations on Monday, July 13, 2020, by 9 am.

“Our client and his counsel were kept at the waiting room of the venue of the sittings unattended to from 9 am to 9 pm when our client was taken back to custody.

“This followed the same pattern on Thursday and Friday last week when our client waited for 12 hours without being called upon by the panel to partake in the proceedings.

“Witnesses called by the panel were interrogated without the participation of our client or his counsel in the proceedings. This was also the pattern on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Our client chose to wait patiently on the panel.”

He’s yet to see allegations against him — Lawyer

Shittu said the suspended EFCC boss was yet to officially receive a copy of the allegations against him and requested the panel to ask the inspector-general of police to release him from custody to enable him to prepare properly for his defence.

On Magu requesting to be released, so he could attend to his health, Shittu said: “Our client is spending the 9th day in custody without being given a copy of the allegations against him to enable him formally respond to same.

“Our client is ready to formally respond to allegations and furnish documentary evidence in support if served with the copy of the allegations.

“Our client respectfully demands the following:

• A copy of the report of the Presidential Audit Committee;
• A copy of the memo of HAGF to the President on our client;
• Individual Petitions submitted to the Panel against our client.

“Our client observes that rather being afforded copies of the allegations against him, some of these allegations are flying around on social media platforms with prejudicial consequences.

“Our client requests that these allegations be formally served on him to enable him to respond to the same immediately.

“Our client observes that the Panel has issued an official statement to the effect that it did not authorize the detention of our client.

“We request the Panel to recommend to the Inspector-General of Police in whose custody our client is to release him from custody to enable him adequately prepare his defence and attend to his failing health. We plead with the authorities to release our client from custody.”

Shittu also denied all allegations against Magu, including the said attempt to “spirit” him away from custody, adding that the charges were “trumped-up allegations designed to tarnish his image and rubbish the credibility and image of EFCC which had been stellar and outstanding under our client’s watch.”

No hand in Magu’s detention — IGP

Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has said the Police didn’t arrest the suspended EFCC chief and, therefore, had no hand in his detention.

The IGP’s declaration followed a letter addressed to him by Magu’s lawyer, Tosin Ojaomo, requesting for his client’s bail.

But the IGP in a letter addressed to the lawyer, with reference number: CB:7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.489/171, dated July 14, 2020, explained that Magu was not being detained by the police but by the panel investigating the activities of the EFCC.

The letter, signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, DCP Owohunwa,  read: “Your letter 00C/TOL/89A/07/2020 of July 10, 2020, on the above-underlined subject refers:

“The Inspector-General of Police directs that your attention be drawn to the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is not investigating C.P. Ibrahim Magu (your client) and he is accordingly, not being detained by the police but by the presidential panel that is investigating the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, advises that you consider re-directing your request to the chairman of the presidential panel for appropriate attention.

“I am to convey the assurances of the warmest regards of the Inspector-General of Police, please.”

Meanwhile, Magu arrived at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with his lawyer at about 9am yesterday for the ongoing investigation.

12 EFCC directors suspended

Meanwhile, 12 directors of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have been suspended.

Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, had on Tuesday, sent a letter to Mohammed Umar, acting EFCC chairman, notifying him of the suspension of the directors.

Some of the directors affected by the action have, according to an online platform, The Cable, been part of the team investigating Malami, though the office of the AGF linked the exercise to the probe of the suspended acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu.

Malami admitted to approving the sale of oil assets seized by the EFCC, but he said the sale followed due process.

Vanguard