The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu and a senior lawyer, Festus Keyamo, have been queried by the federal government over the corruption charges filed against the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar in the name of government.
The PR Nigeria reports that the queries were issued to Magu and Keyamo in separate letters.
In the query signed by Dayo Apata, the solicitor general of the federation and permanent secretary, Magu is to explain what informed the filing of corruption charges against the tribunal chairman having being cleared of corruption allegation two times by the same EFCC.
The document which was dated February 16, 2018, and with Reference No DPP/ADV:368/15, mandated Magu to make his response to the query available to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the minister of justice on or before Tuesday, February 20, 2018.
It stated: The attention of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation was drawn to news report that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed charges of corruption against the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Hon. Justice Danladi Umar, before the FCT High Court.
“I am directed by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to seek clarification from you as to whether the charges were filed on your instruction or directive and if in the affirmative, what is the compelling basis for doing so. This clarification becomes imperative in view of the following background facts.
“The Commission’s investigation report dated 5th March 2015 addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation stated as follows:
“The facts as they are now against Justice Umar raised a mere suspicion and will therefore not be sufficient to successfully prosecute for the defence.
“The Commission’s position in paragraph 2(a) above was also maintained and sustained by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation while appearing before the House of Representatives’ Investigative Committee sometimes in 2015 to the effect that report of investigations showed that the allegations against Hon. Justice Danladi Umar were based on mere suspicions.
“In view of the foregoing, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation requests for your prompt briefing as to the existence of new facts which are contrary to the position in your attached investigation report, sufficient evidence or other developments upon which the prosecution of Hon. Justice Danladi can be successfully based.
“Kindly accord this letter top priority while your prompt response within 48 hours from the receipt of same is required in the circumstances.”
Similarly, Festus Keyamo who was purportedly engaged as a private lawyer by Magu to prosecute the CCT boss was also requested by the AGF to confirm who authorised him to file the corruption charge against Umar.
The senior lawyer was also given Tuesday, February 20, 2018, to provide the details. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app PR Nigeria stated that the charges against the CCT boss may be dropped as the federal government appears to have been embarrassed by the process because the EFCC had earlier cleared the CCT boss of corruption related charges.
In another report, the EFCC has rejected former first lady Patience Jonathan’s offer to settle out of court the brewing dispute over the strange payment of $11,489,069.03 into her domiciliary accounts.
The anti-graft agency asked the ex-first lady to, instead, come before a court by entering into a plea bargain in line with the laws of the land, saying that it would only accept a plea bargain in which the court is carried along, the Nation reports.
It was gathered that the EFCC detectives said they have not been able to trace about 29 of the 31 individuals and companies which made the controversial deposits.
