The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) will arraign Ibrahim Magu,
the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CTC) any moment from now.
According to sources in the know, Magu is to be prosecuted
for allegedly failing to list a bank account in his asset declaration form.
There are reports that the First Bank account had not been
operated by Magu for five years and gone dormant.
The CCB has also listed a property in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, allegedly owned by the police commissioner as part of the evidence to be used against him at the tribunal.
Magu had previously been accused of owning properties in
Dubai, Lagos and Abuja — but it now appears there is no substance to the
allegations.
His team has maintained that he owns only one house and it
is in Karu, Nasarawa state.
“We thought they said he owned houses in Dubai and Banana
Island but now it is a phantom property in Port Harcourt that is being linked
to him,” a member of his team told TheCable.
Magu, who was named acting chairman of the EFCC in 2015 and was
never confirmed until his suspension in July 2020, had been invited by the CCB
to answer questions on his asset declaration.
This came at the time he was also being investigated by the
Justice Ayo Salami panel, which has now recommended his sack and prosecution
for alleged corruption in office — an allegation Magu has consistently denied.
Magu failed to appear before the CCB, citing his lack of
access to the documents being requested.
In a statement issue on Sunday, Wahab Shittu, counsel to
Magu, denied that the suspended chairman shunned the bureau.
Below is the full
text of his statement.
Our attention has been drawn to certain media report where
it was reported that our client, the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, shunned the invitation
of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
We wish to state that our client did not shun the CCC
invitation as the media reportage did not reflect the true position of the
narrative.
We wish to state with high sense of responsibility that we
have written two letters to the Chairman of the CBB, intimating him about the
inability of our client to have access to the relevant documents as required by
the CCB.
The letters, which were dated November 16 and 17, 2020, were
addressed to the CCB Chairman.
The letters were titled- Re: Investigation of Activities-
Letter of Invitation, Breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers
Please note that the letters were stamped and acknowledged
by the office of the CCB Chairman on the said date of November 17, 2020.
We also wish to state the said letters were copied to the
Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring while the letters were
also stamped and acknowledged by his office.
Explaining the inability of our client to honour the
invitation, we stated as follows:
“Your letter dated November 2, 2020 with reference
No.-CCB/HQ/II & M/007/2093 addressed to our client has been passed unto us
to respond to as follows:
“In the referred letter, our client was requested to appear
before your distinguished body on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 11am prompt
concerning the above subject matter.
“We have firm instructions to inform your distinguished body
that our client, regrettably will not be able to honour today’s invitation in
view of certain circumstances beyond his control.
“Our client’s inability to honour your invitation is as a
result of his inability to access his office and the requested documents since
his suspension from office.
“We wish to inform you that the documents which you
requested for and other personal documents are still in his personal office
where he has been denied access up to date. The relevant documents include:
1. Acknowledgement slips of all Magu’s assets declaration to
the Code of Conduct since he joined Public service.
2. Copies of his Appointment Letter, Acceptance, Records of
Service and payslips from January to May, 2020.
3. All title documents of his landed properties both
developed and undeveloped.
“We request that the invitation to our client be extended
pending the conclusion of the exercise of the mandate of the presidential
Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up against our client and the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“This request has become necessary since most of the
documents requested by your Bureau, were removed from our client’s offices by
the Department of State Security Service (DSS)
and the request of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry in the absence of
our client while our client was in detention.
Based on the foregoing, it would be impossible for our client
to answer your questions and provides those documents which are in the
possession of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the Department of State
Security Service (DSS).
“We therefore kindly request your distinguished body to
graciously extend the invitation extended to our client pending the return of
our client’s documents (which you requested).
“We further wish to inform you that we are writing a letter
to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, requesting it to direct the Acting EFCC
boss to allow our client access to the relevant documents.
“Please note that there is the need for our client to have
access to the relevant documents in order to prepare for his defence to your
invitation.
“In the circumstances, until such a time when our client
gains access to his personal file in his office where most of the requested
documents are, it is impracticable to honour your invitation, even if our
client is willing to do so as an obedient and patriotic citizen.
Thank you in anticipation of your cooperation in the above
regard.
“Please accept our professional regards.”
Yours Faithfully,
Signed
Wahab Shittu, Esq
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com