Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
EFCC debunks allegations that Magu misappropriated seized assets
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has stated that the allegations that its former acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, misappropriated 222 properties worth N1.63tn recovered by the Abdulrasheed Maina-led Pension Reformed Task Team, cannot be proved.
The first defence witness in the case, Ngozika Ihuoma, had alleged that Magu had relooted recovered properties during his testimony in Maina’s defence before the court.
Ihuoma had told the court on Thursday that the properties were handed over to the EFCC.
He alleged that Magu had sold most of the properties to his friends and associates.
The witness said a petition written to the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) led to the setting up of the Ayo Salami-led judicial commission of inquiry to probe Magu’s activities.
Ihuoma had said: “Magu admitted before Salami that he shared and allocated most of these properties to most of his friends, associates, colleagues under some presidential directives but failed to make available to the commission the evidence of that presidential directives.”
However, during cross-examination by the EFCC counsel on Friday, the witness admitted that no document to prove the allegation against Magu was brought before the court.
“Did you tender in court, the purported petition to the AGF against Magu and the EFCC that led to the setting up of the Ayo-Salami panel?” Abubakar asked.
“You did not tender proof that Magu confessed to the allegations.
“You said that the report of the Ayo-Salami panel indicted Magu but did not tender the said report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari about the activities of the panel.”
Maina is standing trial for allegedly laundering money to the tune of N2 billion.
