Wallahi, EFCC is Independent - Waziri

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sworn that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua neither interferes with the work of the EFCC nor influences its decisions.

Mrs Farida Waziri also shed light on the allegation that the former Bauchi State governor, Dr. Adamu Mu'azu, was chased out of the country by the commission. She harped on the propriety of establishing special courts to adjudicate on charges of corruption against public officeholders, akin to the anti-graft fight in Ghana and South Africa.

Waziri, who was answering questions on the VOA Hausa Section monitored in Kaduna on Thursday, said: "Wallahi, EFFC is independent. When I came on board, President Umaru Yar'Adua told me that no one would interfere with my work.

Since I assumed duty in the commission for the past one year, six months, he has never said to me, 'Do this or don't do this.' EFCC is truly independent without any influences outside."

On former Bauchi State governor Adamu Mu'azu, who was said to have run to Dubai, Waziri said: "This man, when I came, I saw his case file and we invited him to come because the law says you have to hear from the other side. We asked him to come. But he fled the country. Now he is not in Nigeria, the case is pending and we are waiting to hear from him."

On the advocacy for special courts on corruption, the EFCC boss added: "I want a special court to try charges of alleged corruption because our judicial pattern is the same as the British court, which is very slow. I have also been advocating for special courts. Like in China, it is death penalty; in Ghana they have special courts. The same with South Africa. When I came, there was a private bill in the National Assembly which was not receiving much attention, but recently I cried out for special courts because those being accused of corruption have much money. Without special courts, they will always find their way out. They will engage lawyers with much money and the case might not see the light of day.

"This is really frustrating, and when I went to the National Assembly, they told me that we should re-arrange again and bring up the issue of special courts. I also told the president and I wrote him and he said he would talk to the Supreme Court."

Meanwhile, the former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has described as untrue a statement credited to the EFCC that pleas were taken at the hearing that took place before the Federal High Court last Wednesday in the case instituted against him by the commission.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY, el-Rufai's counsel Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN) wrote: "As counsel to Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, I am constrained to refute the falsehood that has passed for news in many newspapers regarding the ongoing court case between my client and the federal government. In the interest of accuracy and fair play, I hereby offer the following clarifications regarding the said proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja:

"No pleas were taken at the hearing of Wednesday, 4th November 2009. The judge was also unable to hear the application we presented requesting the court to discharge the order it gave authorising the substituted service of summons on our client. Our application argues that substituted services cannot be effected on a party that is not present within the court's jurisdiction. The judge adjourned the hearing of our application to 9 December, 2009."

Debunking the statement credited to the anti-graft commission, Olujimi stated that, "I am therefore amazed that several newspapers and broadcast stations reported that the court ruled that my client has a case to answer. Some of the papers attributed their report to a statement from the EFCC. It is unbecoming to comment on matters pending in court, and even worse to report such matters untruthfully. This is trite decorum that even the almighty EFCC can manage to respect.
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"Mallam el-Rufai's legal team expects the EFCC and the media outlets that fell for its deceit and false reportage to retract the untrue stories they have peddled in this matter. It would amount to multiple contempt of court if they fail to correct the patent and deliberate misrepresentation of proceedings in court."

The media were awash last week with a statement credited to the EFCC that the former minister failed in his attempt to have corruption charges filed against him quashed as Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, OAU Quarters, Abuja, ruled that the trial must continue.

The press release which was issued by the EFCC's spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, also noted that Malam el-Rufai was being charged for criminal conspiracy and abuse of office while he was the minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200911091235.html

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