CCB set to charge Magu for failing to declare accounts

The Code of Conduct Bureau is set to charge the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for failing to declare some accounts on his Asset Declaration form.

The CCB had invited Magu via a letter with reference number CCB/HQ/II&M/007/2093 dated November 2, 2020. He was asked to appear before the anti-corruption agency on November 17, 2020.

The suspended EFCC boss was asked to come along with acknowledgment copies of all asset declaration forms since joining the public service as well as his payslips and land documents.

It was, however, learnt that Magu failed to honour the request of the CCB but wrote a letter instead, explaining that he would not be able to do so.

In the letter, the suspended EFCC boss said all the necessary documents were in his office at the EFCC headquarters and he had been denied access to the office due to his suspension.

He subsequently informed the CCB that he would not be able to honour its invitation.

Magu also wrote a letter to the Chairman of the defunct Presidential panel, Justice Ayo Salami, who investigated him, and informed him of his CCB probe and his inability to access the documents.

A top source, however, told this newspaper that the CCB expected Magu to have at least honoured the invitation first and then explained his challenges in person.

The source said the CCB already had enough information to show that Magu did not declare some assets but only wanted to give him a chance to explain himself.

He said, “There are some accounts which we discovered that Magu did not declare. In this age of BVN, there are things that you cannot hide. Also, the CCB has copies of his asset declaration forms which have been matched with the discovered accounts.

“It is obvious that Magu did not declare them but rather than explain himself in person, he is making excuses. Magu will be arrested if he fails to show up and he will be charged. That is a done deal.”

However, a lawyer to Magu, Mr. Tosin Ojaomo, told Sunday PUNCH that Magu had done well by writing the CCB that he would not be able to come.

Ojaomo said, “Magu explained to the CCB that he would not be able to honour the invitation because his documents are not available. Everyone knows that Magu was arrested impromptu and was not allowed to take any documents from his office. He also informed Justice Salami of his challenge.

“He cannot be arrested because he has explained his challenge to them. It is obvious that this is just a witch-hunt.”

Magu was suspended in July based on allegations levelled against him by a panel set up by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

He was accused of buying a home in Dubai worth over N570m and being unable to account for the interest accrued to over N500bn recovered by the EFCC but he denied the allegations.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), subsequently set up a panel headed by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, to look into the allegations.

Over 13 senior EFCC officials loyal to Magu, including the EFCC Secretary, Ola Olukoyede, were suspended by the President pending the outcome of the probe.  (Sunday Punch)