For about two weeks the issues surrounding the probe of the now-suspended Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has topped headlines.
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Wahab Shittu, Magu’s lawyer, spoke to Law Weekly of Channels Television about some of the allegations against his client and the attitude of the client to his probe.
Shittu said Magu’s experience has been unpleasant because he was not given time to prepare for his defense.
“From the perspective of Mr. Magu, the experience has been quite unpleasant and I will give you reasons for that. Ordinarily, he would have thought that he will be given the opportunity to be formally invited and time to report so that he can come prepared with all the necessary documents that will assist the work of the panel. but on the contrary, he was just accosted and asked to report. That in itself is not good enough.”
Shittu added that Magu was not given necessary documents to prepare for his defense but yet he is not taking the probe with bitterness
“Secondly, after reporting he was taken into custody and he has been in custody since then. Apart from being in custody, he didn’t have the opportunity of access to documents; access to the allegations for which he was being called upon to answer.”
“So to that extent we will say it was an unpleasant experience. But his own approach to the issue is that nobody is above the law. No matter how big anybody is, the law is bigger. He is taking his experience with philosophical calmness. He is more concerned with proving his innocence, he wants to be afforded fair hearing because he believes he is innocent. As I speak to you and this is well known to everybody, in terms of achievements, his achievement is unrivaled; in terms of recovery, he is unrivaled; in terms of conviction
“He is holding his head high. In spite of that, he is not opposed to the probe. He believes that no matter how big anybody is, the law is bigger and he believes that since he is waging war against corruption, then he should also make himself accountable. So he is not taking his probe with bitterness. Most of the allegations against him as published in the social media are blatant falsehood.”
Shittu argued that the allegations against Magu are false as Magu’s actions are well documented and officers of the EFCC who were invited before the panel at Magu’s instance are also producing the documents. He commended the Salami Panel and described Salami as a man with “sterling integrity”. He however insisted that Magu should be given copies of the allegations raised against him
“You recall that we had cause to write the panel to set record straight because some people sit in the quiet corner of their rooms and fabricate stories against Magu – none of the allegations is true. When he had the opportunity to appear before the panel, he told the panel that most of his actions are documented. The sectional heads should be invited. He was running a team, he wasn’t running a one man show. There are sectional heads in charge of assets, in charge of audits…
“And I thank the Honourable Justice Salami Panel for its effort to uphold justice. They have invited most of those people. All those people invited are now coming up with documents to support the work of Magu. So there is no cause for alarm at all…
“So when you fight corruption has a way of also fighting back. So this is the process. I think in a democracy we should allow this kind of process to go on; nobody should be above the law. So what the administration is doing is even commendable. If Magu can be brought to investigation, then nobody is above this kind of process. It is not a setback to anti-corruption war, is a major plus. At the end of the day when the facts are known to everybody and Magu is exonerated, what stops him from going back to his seat? He was just suspended. Is also okay that when investigation is being conducted into your affairs, you step aside and allow the investigation to go on.
“And I think we should be very fair to the Salami Panel. Salami is a man of sterling integrity. He had gone through this kind of process before and he came out unscathed. He came out with his integrity intact. He ordered for the release of Magu even though he was not responsible for the arrest of Magu, he said so. But since Inspector General of Police came out to say that IG is not responsible for the detention of Magu, then we invited…
“So we should salute the work of the Salami Panel for trying to look for the facts. Magu is not against the probe, is not against the Salami Panel, is not against this administration. He is fully in support of what is going on but what he is asking for is the copies of the allegations against him be given to him which is also fair. If you are accused of any offence you should be given copies of the allegations so that you can appropriately respond.”
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