Two senior advocates of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome and Godwin Obla have testified against Magu before the Presidential panel probe set up to investigate the embattled former EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
Godwin Obla narrated how Magu ordered his detention and had him charged to court for demanding payment of his legal fees for services rendered for the EFCC
Recall that Godwin Obla’s law firm has prosecuted a number of high profile cases leading to the recovery of hundreds of billions of assets and cash for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC
Obla informed the panel of how he was deprived payment of his legitimate legal fees of over 700 million naira by the Magu led EFCC
He went further to state that Magu ordered his detention and was later charged to court in what he described as trumped up charges, after being accused of attempting to bribe a judge
His witness followed an earlier one by another senior advocate of nigeria, Mike Ozekhome who also
testified against Magu.
Ozekhome said his appearance before the panel was not for damage assessment, but to share his vision and views with the panel on how to re-build the EFCC and other security agencies, to become strong national institutions.
In his submission, Ozekhome presented evidence including video clips and tendered a letter he wrote to vice President Yemi Osinbajo in may, 2017 where he demanded the urgent need for reforms and accountability of the commission as regards recovered loot and his recommendations.
Ozekhome’ s evidence was however not concluded and adjourned till after the public holidays.
Read Also: Magu’s probe: Mike Ozekhome appears before a panel
Magu was said to have been physically present at the session with his counsel Wahab Shittu.
Shittu challenged Ozekhome’s appearance before the panel on the grounds that his presentation is biased due to his past grievances with the EFCC after the commission froze his N75m account in 2017, a matter that was later resolved in court with an order reversing EFCC’s action
Magu had earlier stated he intends to defend all the allegations made against him. The hearing is expected to continue after the public holiday
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
