Buhari issues query to acting EFCC chairman for instigating corruption charges against CCT boss

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has issued a query to the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu over corruption investigations initiated against the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Justice Danladi Umar.

Last week, the EFCC decided to file charges against Justice Umar through its solicitor Festus Keyamo. For his part in the saga, Mr Keyamo has also been sent a letter by the justice minister who has asked him to confirm who authorised him to file the corruption charge against Justice Umar.

In the query dated February 16, Mr Magu was ordered to make his response to the query available to the attorney general of the federation and the justice minister on or before Tuesday, February 20. Signed by Dayo Apata, the solicitor-general of the federation and permanent secretary in the justice ministry, Mr Magu was asked to explain what informed the filing of corruption charges against the tribunal chairman as he had been cleared of allegations two times by the commission.

The query read in part: “The attention of the honourable attorney-general of the federation was drawn to news report that the EFCC 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 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."

Like Mr Magu, Mr Keyamo was given until Tuesday February 20, to furnish the office of the attorney-general in writing details of who engaged or issued him with authority to file the corruption charges. In two separate letters to the secretary to the government of the federation in 2015 and 2016, the EFCC had cleared Justice Umar of any wrongdoing in the alleged N10m bribery allegation made against him by a defendant, Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi, who was standing trial on false asset declaration.

Upon receipt of the petition from Mr Owolabi, the EFCC had investigated the petition and sent its report to the secretary to the government of the federation. Dated March 5, 2015 and personally signed by the then EFCC executive chairman Ibrahim Lamorde the letter exonerated the CCT boss from the bribery saga.

Other EFCC documents shows that in 2016, a fresh investigation was conducted into the same N10m bribery allegation and the same anti-graft agency in its second report absolved Justice Umar of any wrongdoing, adding that the bribery allegation against him remained a mere suspicion. A report top this effect was sent to the government on April 20, 2016.