EFCC Boss testifies In Court, Denies Ownership Of Two Properties Allegedly Traced To His Wife
Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, the acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday appeared before the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja where he denied ownership of the two properties allegedly linked to him by the Sun newspaper.
The claimant while in the witness box before Justice Doris Okwuobi said that the alleged Daily Sun newspaper publication claiming that he was under discreet investigation by the Department of State Security Services, DSS was false.
In his evidence, Magu told the court, “since I came to EFCC, nobody has investigated me. I am not under any probe.
Denying ownership of the said property in the publication dated 25th March, 2017, Magu said, “I will not go and buy properties in Maitama. This is completely false.
My wife is a civil servant. We only have one house sold to us in Karo, Abuja. It is completely untrue.”
“I want to tell you the damage it has done to me. It was not caused me alone, it has gone down my lineage, the entire family, it has done so much wrong. It has done so much damage.”
Stressing further, the chief investigator said “after the first publication by Sun, there were a lot of reactions. They went down to my home town. That is the detail. I am just trying to correct the damage they have done.”
But during cross examination he answered in affirmative when the respondent counsel put it to him that the disputed property were traced to his wife.
Respondent counsel: The two properties were traced to your wife alledgedly?
Magu: Yes, My Lord.
What ia your wife name?
Fatima Yakaka Magu (Mrs.)
Magu replied to the question posed to him further by the respondent counsel that “in the publication, it is not an allegation against you, it is a report by another body?
Magu said, “No investigation agency was mentioned to be investigating me, no, that’s not true, they never said DSS is investigating my wife.
On his confirmation or otherwise as Chairman of EFCC, he explained that he was not worried that he was not confirmed as substantive chairman by the confirmation authority, the Senate, adding that, “It is good they did not confirm me, I may not be able to do the work very well.
The anti-graft agency’s boss mentioned the titles of the said publication claiming that the medium should have confirm the authenticity of their story.
“The defendant published about properties they did not give even address. That indicate it is an hatched work.
Further proceedings has been adjournes till February, 28, 2019
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