EFCC accused of double standards saying Bobrisky did not get any breaks like Yahaya Bello

FORMER vice president Atiku Abubakar's one-time spokesman Daniel Bwala has raised concerns about the fact that ex-Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello is enjoying legal privileges denied to recently-jailed cross-dresser Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky.

Over the last week, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the former governor have been involved in a war of attrition after he resisted arrest and has sought to use legal means to prevent the agency from inviting him for questioning. EFCC officials have repeatedly invited Governor Bello to come and give account of his stewardship while in office and answer questions on several acts of impropriety.

However, he has repeatedly shunned such requests, including a personal phone call from the EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede, who guaranteed him that he would be treated with respect and dignity. Governor Bello went as far as saying that of the EFCC want to question him, they should come to his village and he remains at large up until today, after refusing to show up in court twice, despite being declared wanted.

Bobrisky on the other hand had the book thrown at him after he was sentenced to six months in prison without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency, the naira, by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Lagos Federal High Court. Bobrisky, 33, was convicted on April 5 after pleading guilty to a four-count charge of naira abuse brought against him by the EFCC and is now serving his time at Ikoyi Prison.

Mr Bwala has criticised the EFCC for giving certain privileges to former Governor Bello, while denying same to Bobrisky. He faulted the EFCC’s alleged disregard for the rule of law, pointing out that the agency has accused Governor Bello of misappropriating the sum of N80bn among other things but appears to be treating the case with levity and flippantly.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Mr Olukoyede vowed to resign if he failed to prosecute Governor Bello, whom he accused of evading arrest, detention and prosecution. However, Mr Bwala described the press conference as a drama skit, saying that the commission’s boss was conducting public discussions akin to a courtroom trial which was indirectly a way of giving Governor Bello a chance to escape.

Mr Bwala added: “What happened was like a prosecutor in court doing his opening address in the view of prosecuting the matter and who was the judge yesterday? it was the pressmen. This is one of the many reasons why people tend to ask the question, is the commission actually intending to prosecute, or is the commission indirectly giving an opportunity for the accused to escape?"