Following the appointment of Abdulrashid Bawa as the substantive Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) boss by president Buhari, Tosin Ojaomo, counsel to the suspended former Acting Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu says justice is yet to be served to his client regarding his suspension.
Ojaomo made this statement while speaking on a Channel Television program on Tuesday, saying he was shocked at the appointment of Bawa, while Magu's investigation case has not yet been made public.
Magu was suspended last year July over allegations of mismanagement and abuse of office while serving as chair in the EFCC.
However, President Buhari, yesterday appointed Bawa as the EFCC substantive Chairman yesterday to replace Magu.
According to Ojaomo, he expected that the trial of his client Magu should have been brought to a logical conclusion and justice served before the appointment of his successor.
In his statement, “Sincerely, this appointment came to me as a shock. This is because what I was expecting is that there is still an unfinished assignment that was pending. I was expecting that the issue of Magu would have been sorted out before moving to another step. But unfortunately, we just got this news today that a new chairman has been nominated by the president and his name has been forwarded to the senate,” he said.
“When we talk of justice, you know what justice is all about. As the acting chairman of the commission, he was suspended for an allegation which has not been proven against him, and at the end of the day, the report which everybody was expecting, to know whether the man has been found wanting or not, was not released and another appointment was made.
According to Magu’s Lawyer, his client’s reputation is at stake, and not only him, it includes some of his lieutenants from the commission, therefore, but the right thing to do would also have been bringing their case to conclusion and establish who is guilty and who is not before proceeding on appointment.
Ojaomo opined that justice has not been done to the Nigerian people because everybody was expecting justice to Magu and his men, meanwhile, the recent development has cast doubt already on the outcome.
Last November, the Former justice Ayo Salami panel has recommended Magu’s sack as the acting chair of the anti-graft agency and appoint an interim chairman for the next two years.
Meanwhile, when Ojoamo was asked his opinion about Buhari's appointment of Bawa whether it was not to cover up Magu/ the lawyer dismissed the question saying it would amount to speculation to make such an assumption.
In his statement, “The government is accountable to the people. The government ought to let the people know the reason for this decision. It is normal everywhere and it needs to be done like that.”
