…Says probe tainted by battle of curiosity
By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA—Former Lawyer-Common of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has demanded that the Chairman of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, instantly recuse himself from any position within the investigation or prosecution towards him, insisting that the anti-graft company can now not deal with the matter impartially or lawfully.
Malami accused the EFCC of subjecting him to what he described as a politically motivated probe, alleging that the investigation was triggered by his current defection to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and pushed by private vendetta moderately than regulation enforcement concerns.
The demand was contained in a press release by Mohammed Doka, Particular Assistant on Media to the previous Lawyer-Common.
The assertion stated: “The continued detention, investigation and threatened prosecution of Malami, SAN, represent a politically motivated witch-hunt precipitated by his current defection to the ADC.”
Malami claimed he had been illegally detained, subjected to media harassment and procedurally abused, warning that such actions quantity to a grave abuse of workplace and a direct assault on the rule of regulation.
On the coronary heart of his allegation, he stated, is deep-seated historic animosity involving the EFCC Chairman, arising from occasions throughout his tenure as Lawyer-Common of the Federation.
He recalled that the Federal Authorities had constituted the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Fee of Inquiry to analyze allegations of corruption and abuse of workplace throughout the EFCC, at a time when the present EFCC Chairman served as Secretary to the fee.
“The Salami Report, which is within the public area, incorporates severe findings implicating the present EFCC Chairman, significantly as detailed in Chapter 9 of the report, together with suggestions that prompt attainable prosecution,” Malami stated.
He argued that the current investigation marked by what he described as unlawful detention, media trials and procedural abuses, bears all of the hallmarks of retaliatory persecution motivated by private vengeance, including that he has been clearly pre-judged and can’t anticipate a good or goal course of beneath the EFCC’s present management.
“This conduct constitutes a grave abuse of workplace and a direct affront to the rule of regulation,” the assertion added.
Malami known as on the Lawyer-Common of the Federation, because the Chief Regulation Officer of the Federation, to intervene and prevail on the EFCC Chairman to recuse himself with a purpose to stop additional institutional injury and restore public confidence within the anti-corruption company.
He additionally demanded quick judicial oversight, insisting on both his immediate arraignment or launch inside 24 hours, consistent with Sections 35(3), (4) and (5) of the 1999 Structure (as amended).
“Solely a courtroom of competent jurisdiction, and never politically compromised companies, can lawfully and credibly adjudicate this matter,” he stated.
The previous Lawyer-Common additional accused the EFCC of making an attempt to depend on people convicted by overseas courts and presently serving felony sentences overseas as witnesses towards him, describing the transfer as determined, scandalous and corrosive to the integrity of Nigeria’s felony justice system.
“Such people, who ought ordinarily to be topics of lawful extradition proceedings, are as an alternative being weaponised to advance a home political agenda,” the assertion stated.
Malami insisted that he was looking for no political settlement, inducement or alliance of comfort, stressing that his sole goal was to clear his title overtly and transparently earlier than a courtroom of competent jurisdiction.
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