New Telegraph

Salami panel rejects Magu’s request for video proceedings

The presidential committee probing allegations of sleaze against suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has rejected his request for video proceedings of the panel.
The committee, chaired by Justice Ayo Salami, has however promised the ex-anti corruption czar fair hearing.

A source close to the panel had told an online medium yesterday that “The members are not conducting a trial or inquiry on Mr Ibrahim Magu nor the EFCC.
“This is not a panel but a committee saddled only with investigation. The request of Mr Ibrahim Magu for the video recording of the proceedings cannot be granted because the previous recordings of the proceedings at the beginning was unauthorised by the investigation committee and the committee does not know the purpose such recordings will serve.
“The venue of the sitting of the committee is temporary and therefore, it is impossible to install video recording equipment as requested by Magu. Even the superior courts of records do not have video recording facilities and lack of such facilities does not infringe on fair hearing.
“The committee undertakes to guarantee fair hearing to Magu and all appearing before it in its fact finding exercise.”

Magu was arrested and detained on Monday, July 6, 2020, following summons by the presidential panel.

His travails followed a memo by Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, who accused him of “grave malfeasance”.

He was alleged to have mishandled the recovered loot and sold seized assets to his associates. He was alleged to have purchased a property in Dubai, United Arab Emirate using a pastor as a conduit but he has denied all the allegations, describing his suspension and probe as a case of “dog eats dog”.

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