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Seeks AGF’s Intervention, Withdrawal of EFCC from Case
- Safiu Kehinde
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of handling his case with personal vendetta and vengeance.
Malami demanded the intervention of the incumbent AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) while also calling for the withdrawal of the EFCC from his case.
As contained in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Muhammad Doka, the ex-Minister accused the EFCC of subjecting him to what he described as illegal detention, media harassment and procedural abuse.
He held that Olukoyede’s alleged vengeance plot against him dated back to his tenure as AGF, when the Federal Government constituted the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe allegations of corruption and abuse of office within the EFCC.
According to Malami, the current EFCC Chairman, who served as Secretary to the commission then, was indicted in the Salami Report which allegedly contained adverse findings against him.
The former AGF held that he cannot be investigated under such system headed by Olukoyede as he reportedly insisted that another law enforcement agency should take over the investigation to restore public confidence.
“I have been clearly prejudged and cannot receive a fair, objective or lawful investigation under the current leadership of the EFCC,” Malami said.
“The present investigation bears all the hallmarks of retaliatory persecution motivated by personal vengeance,” Malami alleged.
He also claimed that the probe was motivated by his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) while demanding either his immediate arraignment or release within 24 hours as stipulated in the Sections 35(3), (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Malami stressed that only a court of competent jurisdiction could lawfully determine his case.
“I seek no political settlement or inducement. My sole objective is to clear my name openly before a court of competent jurisdiction,” Malami said.
According to reports, he further accused the EFCC of attempting to rely on individuals convicted by foreign courts and currently serving prison sentences abroad as potential witnesses, describing the move as “desperate, scandalous and corrosive” to Nigeria’s justice system.
The ex-AGF’s legal team has requested Certified True Copies of the petitions that triggered the investigation, as well as the EFCC’s investigation report, to enable him to prepare his defence.