How Lawyers Testifying In Magu’s Probe Were Arrested, Detained In EFCC Custody

Africa Press-Nigeria:

There was drama on Wednesday at the venue of the ongoing probe of Ibrahim Magu, suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, after two lawyers, Fatima Hassan and Victor Giwa, were whisked away by operatives of the anti-graft agency from the Presidential Villa where a panel led by Retired Justice Ayo Salami has been sitting.

In a petition, Donald Wokoma, Special Assistant to Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, accused Magu of attempting to extort him of N75m through Giwa, who he referred to as his former lawyer.

In his testimony before the committee, Wokoma reportedly presented an audiotape of his conversation with the lawyer in order to implicate Magu.

Sources said the panel then summoned Giwa to appear before it on Tuesday where he was confronted with the recording of his telephone conversation with Wokoma.

He challenged the panel to point at any reference to any bribe payment or solicitation in the audio conversation.

Rather, he explained that he was a lawyer to the Vice President’s aide when his account was frozen by the EFCC over a failed amnesty contract involving his company.

He said he challenged the action in court on behalf of Wokoma and got a favourable judgment against the EFCC’s action.

He added that shortly before he got the judgment, EFCC had charged the matter to court with Wokoma’s company as defendant and secured a temporary forfeiture order against the account, pending the determination of the substantive matter and the anti-graft agency also appealed against his secured order for the release of the account.