By Robert Egbe
The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) yesterday refuted claims that it did not sanction one in all its investigators that was concerned in a $20,000 bribe scandal in 2018.
It mentioned the workers was demoted, suspended for 3 months and transferred two years in the past in accordance with administrative guidelines, as quickly because the tried extortion was found.
The anti-graft company was reacting to a publication by a web-based medium that the involved workers was left untouched as a result of he was a favorite or ‘Godson’ of EFCC Performing-Chairman Ibrahim Magu.
It claimed that the makers of the declare, performing within the curiosity of defendants in a N350million fraud case, resurrected the useless difficulty with the intention to blackmail the Fee.
The EFCC on January 29, 2019 arraigned writer of The Interview journal Azubuike Ishekwene, an organization director Olalekan Abdul and Adeyinka Adewale, for conspiracy to forge, and forgery at an Ikeja Particular Offences Court docket.
Abdul solely faces costs of forgery, use of false doc, acquiring N350million from Wema Financial institution Plc by false pretences and falsification of books and account paperwork.
The mentioned publication was titled ‘How EFCC Performing Chairman, Magu, ordered arrest of complainant to guard ‘godson’ caught for extortion throughout sting operation’
It claimed that when the id of the arrested EFCC officer was examined, “it turned out to be Dectective Auwal Umar – a ‘godson’ of the EFCC boss and an integral member of a particular squad throughout the organisation generally known as ‘Magu Boys’.
“Relatively than sanction stiff punishment for the erring officer, Magu went forward to show your complete case on its head by ordering the arrest of the complainants and leaving his ‘godson’ off the hook….
“Underneath Magu’s safety, the mentioned Umar had been returned to his place in EFCC, thus confirming that he’s an official bribe-collector for his godfather and due to this fact above the regulation.”
However responding to the allegations, an EFCC Zonal Head, mentioned: “The workers in query has been handled administratively since 2018. He was demoted from degree 12 to degree 10. He was equally suspended for 3 months with out pay and in addition posted out of division the place the defendants had been making an attempt to bribe him.
“However as a result of investigation indicted them and authorized opinion acknowledged that they need to be charged to court docket and tried, they now felt that one of the best ways to flee justice is by blackmailing the fee.”
Within the case pending earlier than Justice Mojisola Dada, EFCC counsel Mr Mohammed Idris, alleged that Abdul, Ishiekwene, Adewale and Morakinyo (now at massive) conspired to commit forgery on April 6, 2018.
“The defendants someday in 2018 knowingly cast a doc titled ‘Account Opening Doc’ dated April 9, 2018 which they purported that it was issued by Cleanserve Built-in Vitality Resolution Ltd.
“Abdul and Ishiekwene on April 6, 2018, knowingly cast a doc titled ‘Board Decision of Cleanserve Built-in Vitality Resolution Ltd’ dated April 6, 2018 which they purported was issued by the corporate.
“On April 6, 2018 Abdul and Ishiekwene fraudulently offered the cast Board Decision to Stanbic IBTC Financial institution as real.
“Abdul and Morakinyo had additionally on April 6, 2018 cast the Board Decision of Cleanserve Built-in Vitality Resolution Ltd,” he mentioned.
In response to the EFCC prosecutor, Abdul had beforehand on Dec. 14, 2010, cast the Board Decision of Cleanserve Built-in Vitality Resolution Ltd and had offered it to Wema Financial institution Plc as real.
“Armed with the false doc, Abdul had on Dec. 14, 2010 obtained a credit score facility of N350million from Wema Financial institution Plc by falsely representing to them that the Board Decision was real,” Idris mentioned.
The three defendants denied the allegations and are out on bail.
Supply: thenationonlineng.net
