Zainab Abiola, counsel to Ibrahim
Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFFC), has described her client’s probe as a “hatchet job.”
In an interview with TheCable,
Abiola, who was walked out of the panel’s sitting on Monday, said there is no
evidence that Magu is guilty of the allegations against him.
President Muhammadu Buhari set up
the panel to probe corruption allegations levelled against the anti-graft czar.
At its sitting at the
presidential villa on Monday, Wahab Shittu, Magu’s lead counsel, was joined by
Abiola and Aliyu Lemu, another of his lawyers.
But Ayo Salami, head of the
panel, insisted that only Shittu would be allowed to defend Magu, and asked his
other lawyers to leave the venue.
Speaking with TheCable about her
experience, the lawyer, who is one of the widows of the late MKO Abiola, said
it is wrong for the panel to refuse Magu’s lawyers access to their sitting.
“This is a democratic
dispensation, you cannot bring military tactics, a Hitler’s Gestapo rule to
this type of occasion,” she said.
“The panel was set up to be
public. How then did it become a private sitting with Emperor Salami? He has
become an emperor. He told me personally that there is only one chair for a
lawyer. So I said, if there is only one chair, send for more chairs now.
“He called the DSS, they were
fully armed. So, we left. But the other lady, Fatimah, was bundled and put in a
cell, in a prison cell. So, there is a prison in the presidential villa?
Nigerians should worry for themselves.”
‘MAGU’S PROBE IS A NULLITY,
KANGAROO CONTRACTION’
Abiola, a former presidential
aspirant, further said that while the former EFCC chairman’s rights
are being trampled upon at the moment, it could be anyone else’s turn next.
“If you see how Magu was just
sitting there, like a sheep without a shepherd. Like a Christmas goat about to
be slaughtered by Emperor Salami. Why would they refuse me access to such a
fundamental probe? It is a nullity, very shambolic,” she added.
“They don’t have anything against
Magu. Not a shred of evidence. The pastor they said took the money. FCMB has
apologised in three national papers to Magu and the pastor. They also said Magu
did not investigate the P&ID case and he was exonerated.
“What is the allegation? How can
lawyers not be allowed to represent him? It is not as if we went alone; we were
introduced by Magu himself. Did they imagine that it will be only one lawyer
defending a man like that?
“Twenty-two allegations, 22 lies.
The fact of the matter is that this is not a panel of inquiry. It is a Kangaroo
contraction with Salami as the emperor.”
Magu has often accused the panel
of not giving him fair hearing, saying he has not been allowed to defend
himself.
After he requested the panel to
summon Malami to give evidence of his alleged crimes, the AGF said he would
gladly testify against him if asked to do so.
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But Jonathan had warned everyone about this. I just think God wants to punish Nigerians
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