Ibrahim Magu, suspended chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says he has not appeared before by the
Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) for days.
He said he last appeared before the panel about a week ago.
Wahab Shittu, counsel to Magu, disclosed the concern of his
client in a letter written and submitted to the panel on Wednesday.
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.
He was later moved to Area 10, force criminal investigation
department (FCID) in Abuja, where he has spent the night since his arrest.
According to Shittu, his client has not been brought before
the panel between Thursday and Tuesday, and has instead arrived at the venue on
the listed days 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 allegation that our client was grilled by the Panel on
Monday, 13th July, 2020, as reported above is complete falsehood,” the letter
read.
“The correct position was that our client and his Counsel
(Mr. Wahab Shittu) arrived the venue of the ongoing Investigations on Monday
13th July, 2020 by 9am. Our client and his Counsel were kept at the waiting
room of the venue of the sittings unattended to from 9am to 9pm 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
by the Panel without the participation of our client or his Counsel in the
proceedings. This was also the pattern on Tuesday, 14th July, 2020. Our client
chose to wait patiently on the panel.”
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.
Magu also requested to be released so that he could attend
to his health.
“Our client is spending the 9th day in custody without being
given 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,” he
said.
“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 round on
social media platforms with prejudicial consequences.
“Our client requests that these allegations be formally
served on him to enable him respond to same immediately.
“Our client observes that the Panel has issued official
statement to the effect that it did not authorise 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.”
The lawyer also denied all allegations against Magu,
including the said attempt to “spirit” him away from custody, adding that the
charges are “trumped-up allegations designed to tarnish his image and rubbish
the credibility and image of EFCC which has been stellar and outstanding under
our client’s watch”.
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