Prominent lawyer, Chief Mike
Ozekhome (SAN), on Tuesday, appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to
testify against the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, and submitted six exhibits, including two
video clips and some documents.
During the session, which lasted
about two hours, Ozekhome spoke about the alleged leadership failures of Magu
and the investigative deficiencies of the anti-graft agency.
The senior advocate also made
recommendations to the panel on the need for the EFCC to be more professional
and engage less in “media trial.”
Reacting to the development,
however, a lawyer to Magu, Mr Tosin Ojaomo, said he was aware of the senior
advocate’s visit to the panel.
Ojaomo said it was unfortunate
that Ozekhome, who had publicly lambasted the leadership of the EFCC and Magu,
could be invited by the panel, while his client had not been given the
opportunity to defend himself.
The lawyer said it seemed the
panel was on a “fishing expedition” and was seeking to nail Magu at all cost,
hence the decision to invite people, who had grievances with the suspended EFCC
boss.
He said, “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, who confirmed his visit
to the panel, told ThePunch that he was invited to make certain
recommendations, which he did.
He said his primary aim was not
to settle scores with Magu, but to address the deficiencies in the EFCC with a
view to helping it to actualise its core mandate.
The senior advocate said he
submitted six exhibits to the panel, including two videos as well as a letter
he wrote to the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on the urgent need
for reforms and accountability as regards recovered loot.
Ozekhome stated, “I have not even
said anything about the seizure of my funds by the EFCC and I am surprised that
Ojaomo, a lawyer, can talk about something he didn’t witness. My N75m was
seized by Magu and his goons despite the fact that it was my legal fees. I went
to court and defeated them; so, I have nothing to prove.
“All I did at the panel was to
tender some documents and some CDs, which contained videos. One of them is a
video where I was given a standing ovation at an event where I advised Magu on
how to fight corruption. It was about telling them not to do a one-sided
anti-graft war, where you arrest activists and leave those in government.
“I also tendered a letter dated
May 2017, which I wrote to the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. In
the letter, I raised 12 questions as to where the recovered loot and property
were and if the property had been sold, to who and for how much. Tell Ojaomo to
relax and that I have not yet started.”
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