Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Festus Keyamo, have been separately queried by the federal government over the corruption charges they fi led against the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar.
In the query dated February 16, 2018 and with Reference No DPP/ ADV:368/15 Magu was ordered 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.
In the query, signed by Mr. 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 been cleared of corruption allegation two times by the same Commission.
The query titled “FRN VS Danladi Umar (CR/109/18) Request for Briefing,” read in part: “The attention of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation was drawn to news report that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has fi led 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 fi led 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.” In the same vein, in a separate letter to Mr. 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 authorized him to file the corruption charge against Umar.
Like Magu, the senior lawyer was given till today, February 20 to furnish the Office of the AGF in writing details of who engaged or issued him with authority to fi le the corruption charges.
