The Judicial Commission of
Inquiry led by Justice Ayo Salami (retd) set up by the President, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to investigate the suspended acting Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has submitted an
interim report to the President.
The report was said to have
recommended Magu’s sacking.
A report by TheCable, stated that the President was asked to appoint a new chairman for the
anti-graft agency.
ThePunch also reports that a top source in the police disclosed that although the panel was still probing Magu, testimonies and
documents from witnesses so far were enough to make it recommend the removal of
the suspended EFCC boss.
A police source who is privy to
the investigation but who pleaded anonymity because government has yet to take
a decision on the matter said, “The
Salami panel has been sending interim reports to the President. Its latest
report, however, recommends Magu’s sacking from the EFCC and possible
prosecution.”
When asked why the report was
sent when Magu had not yet opened his defence, the police officer said, “But
Magu has been part of the process. He has been attending sittings and has even
been given the opportunity of cross-examining some witnesses.
“The interim report is for the
President alone and is to keep him abreast of the activities of the panel.”
However, Magu’s lawyer, Wahab
Shittu, said Justice Salami had informed him that no such report had been
submitted to the President.
Shittu said Magu had yet to open
his defence and that it would be unjust for the panel to recommend his sacking.
He said, “I don’t understand why
we should be talking about a reaction to something that is blatantly falsehood.
First, the panel is still calling witnesses. Two witnesses appeared before the
panel today. So, if there were ongoing proceedings on Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and the panel has adjourned till Monday, if witnesses are still being
taken and interrogated, and documents are still being submitted, what that
should suggest to you is that proceedings are ongoing and have not been
concluded. Does it (then) make sense for a report to be submitted?”
The lawyer said even if the
report was an interim one, it would be wrong to submit it without hearing from
Magu.
Shittu added, “Ibrahim Magu, my
client, has not opened his defence and the panel has repeatedly indicated that
he would be allowed to defend himself only after witnesses have been exhausted.
So, somebody who has yet to defend allegations against him, can he be indicted?
“Whether interim or final, you
cannot issue the report without listening to all the witnesses and then take
the defence. My reaction is that the story is planted by mischief makers. A
similar falsehood was published by a newspaper and I confronted the panel
yesterday (Thursday) and the chairman said how could they have issued such a
report when they haven’t formally served him with the allegations and he told
me to disregard the report.”
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