Buhari's adviser Prof Itse Sagay questions neutrality of panel probing Ibrahim Magu

ONE of President Muhammadu Buhari's advisers the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (Pacac) Professor Itse Sagay has criticised the panel probing former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting chairman Ibrahim Magu.

Last month, Mr Magu was arrested by men of the Department of State Security in Abuja and has since been held for questioning by a presidential panel set up to investigate him. President Muhammadu Buhari has since suspended him from office and over recent weeks, all sorts of stories have been circulating about impropriety associated with Mr Magu.

However, Professor Sagay has criticised the Justice Ayo Salami panel probing the allegations levelled against Mr Magu, for taking testimonies of suspects being investigated by the anti-graft agency. Apparently, some of the witnesses giving evidence against Mr Magu are people being probed by the EFCC and Professor Sagay said he is confident Justice Salami would not allow such injustice.

In addition, Professor Sagay also noted that Justice Salami appeared to be the only neutral person on the panel which he stated was constituted by representatives of agencies that had levelled allegations against Mr Magu. Professor Sagay who denied reports that he said Mr Magu would not be prosecuted, said he hopes all these anomalies are corrected.

Professor Sagay said:  “What I said was that Magu could not be prosecuted before the Salami Report is out and that Malami’s allegations are just what they are, allegations in a petition. No one is prosecuted on unverified allegations as the Peoples Democratic Party wanted, otherwise it would be a lost cause from the very beginning. 

"In my statement, I made it clear that Malami’s petition was just the beginning of a process that could lead to prosecution if solid evidence is established upon investigation. I did not say Magu may not be prosecuted."