Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) has maintained that all cases of persons indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with regards to the Malabu Oil fraud must be prosecuted in accordance with the relevant laws.
The Minister who denied interfering with pending corruption cases in court, called on the anti-graft agency to conduct a watertight investigation to ensure that all essential elements of the alleged offences are established before proceeding to court.
Malami’s statement on Friday was in response to media reports that he was watering down corruption related cases with specific reference to the charge against former Gombe state governor, Danjuma Goje, former Senate President, Dr. Bukula Saraki
Justice Babatunde Quadiri of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, had in July last year quashed the remaining two counts charge on sale of 50 buses filed against Senator Danjuma Goje. Accordingly, the Judge discharged Goje, after Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) applied for the withdrawal of the two charges. The EFCC was prosecuting the former governor until Friday, June 7, when it handed it over to the AGF to continue with the prosecution of Goje and one Sabo Dakoro.
But responding to the media reports, Malami who described it as mischievous stated that he had never frustrated the prosecution of corruption cases in court as alleged. He added that he has never at any time stated anywhere or advised any person or authority that there was no prima facie case in the matter.
His position is contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu.
According to him, “the AGF found such allegations as not only a cheap blackmail but false, frivolous and baseless. We view this as machinations to cover up for the TI’s biased and illogically cooked up 2019 Corruption Perception Index with poor rating of Nigeria.