Justice Ayo Salami has reportedly said he regrets heading the presidential panel set up to investigate Ibrahim Magu’s tenure as EFCC chairperson, according to two lawyers familiar with the workings of the panel.
According to a report in PT, the two lawyers were present when the jurist allegedly made the statement last Friday at the close of Magu’s defence hearing held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Salami pnel is investigating allegations of corruption and insubordination following complaints by the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, which led to Magu’s detention and subsequent suspension as EFCC acting chairman .
According to the publication, two lawyers to Mr Magu who were at Friday’s sitting, Tosin Ojaoma and Zainab Abiola, said before the commencement of the proceedings, Justice Salami told them that he regrets accepting the task to chair the panel.
They said, “We all sat down as lawyers, after a little period, Justice salami said he regretted working in this panel.
“As soon as the proceedings opened, Salami was full of regrets, he (Salami) brought out his handkerchief and said he is full of regret taking up the job. Then our team asked him, is it because the panel is yet to find evidence against our client, (Magu), Mr Salami did not respond he only kept saying he regrets taking up the job.”
“Mr Salami kept saying he feels embarrassed for talking up the job. He also lamented that for years after he had retired he was seated in his home eating Tuwo (a popular food from the northern part of Nigeria), without any disturbance”.
The panel was supposed to have submitted its report, but it asked for more time to conlcude its assignment.
Leave a Reply