By our reporter| Exactly ten days after his arrest, Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu was on Wednesday released from police custody.
Magu’s lawyer Toyin Ojaomo who earlier in the day said that the former EFCC boss was yet to be given a copy of the allegations against by the panel, confirmed confirmed his release from confinement.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, declined to release Magu on bail, directing him to, isted forward his bail application to the presidential panel.
Magu’s lawyer, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, had asked the IGP to grant bail to his client on “self-recognisance” following his arrest and detention.
But in a letter dated July 14, 2020, and addressed to Mr Ojaomo, the IGP said the police force is not investigating and detaining Magu, so, it cannot grant the bail request.
The letter read in part: “The Inspector-General of Police directs that your attention be drawn to the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is not investigating CP Ibrahim Magu (your client), and he is accordingly, not being detained by the Police but by the Presidential Panel that is investigating the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, advises that you reconsider directing your request to the Chairman of the Presidential Panel for appropriate attention.”
I’ve not faced the panel for days or seen copy of allegations against me…
Earlier on Wednesday, the embatlled suspended chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu, complaied he has not appeared before by the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) for days, contrary to media reports.
He also expressed concern that he was yet to officially receive a copy of the allegations against him, and requested the panel to ask the inspector-general of police to release him from custody to enable him to prepare properly for his defence.
Magu voiced his concern through his lawyer, Wahab Shittu, in a letter written and submitted to the panel on Wednesday.
According to Shittu, his client has not been brought before the panel between Thursday and Tuesday, and has instead arrived at the venue on the listed days only to wait from 9am to 9pm before being taken back into custody.
He said the clarification became necessary after it was reported that Magu was grilled by the panel on Monday.
The letter read, “The allegation that our client was grilled by the Panel on Monday, 13th July, 2020, as reported above is complete falsehood.”
“The correct position was that our client and his Counsel (Mr. Wahab Shittu) arrived the venue of the ongoing Investigations on Monday 13th July, 2020 by 9am. Our client and his Counsel were kept at the waiting room of the venue of the sittings unattended to from 9am to 9pm when our client was taken back to custody.
“This followed the same pattern on Thursday and Friday last week when our client waited for 12 hours without being called upon by the Panel to partake in the proceedings. Witnesses called by the Panel were interrogated by the Panel without the participation of our client or his Counsel in the proceedings. This was also the pattern on Tuesday, 14th July, 2020. Our client chose to wait patiently on the panel.”
Magu also requested to be released so that he could attend to his health.
“Our client is spending the 9th day in custody without being given copy of the allegations against him to enable him formally respond to same. Our client is ready to formally respond to allegations and furnish documentary evidence in support if served with the copy of the allegations,” he said.
“Our client respectfully demands the following: A copy of the report of the Presidential Audit Committee; a copy of the memo of HAGF to the President on our client; individual Petitions submitted to the Panel against our client.
“Our client observes that rather being afforded copies of the allegations against him, some of these allegations are flying round on social media platforms with prejudicial consequences.
“Our client requests that these allegations be formally served on him to enable him respond to same immediately.
“Our client observes that the Panel has issued official statement to the effect that it did not authorise the detention of our client. We request the Panel to recommend to the Inspector General of Police in whose custody our client is to release him from custody to enable him adequately prepare his defence and attend to his failing health. We plead with the authorities to release our client from custody.”
Magu was invited by the panel headed by Ayo Salami, a retired President of the Appeal Court in the Presidential Villa in Abuja on July 6.
He was later moved to Area 10 Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of the police in Abuja where he has since been detained.
On June 11, President Muhammadu Buhari affirmed the suspension of Magu effective immediately.
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