Opposes bid to release Akingbola’s N2.2bn frozen account || The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has instituted a probe panel to look into the veracity of the former Edo State governor Lucky Igbinedion bribed a judge federal High Court with a whopping N10 billion.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY reliably gathered that the EFCC boss, Mrs Farida Waziri, constituted a team of operatives to look into the allegation against the judge on Friday. The team, which was put together in the Lagos office of the commission, has begun to obtain further information on the bank accounts and assets of the judge as well as those of his family members, friends and associates.
The former governor is presently facing fresh charges along with his younger brother, associates and companies over alleged stealing of N25 billion from the treasury of Edo State while he was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007.
The latest charge against him was filed before Justice Adamu Hobon of the Federal High Court in Benin.
Waziri was said to have ordered the probe, following information provided by a whistleblower who got wind of the deal.
When contacted on the probe, the EFCC spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development, adding that the commission had a responsibility to investigate every information given by whistleblowers or any patriotic Nigerian.
Meanwhile, the commission has explained why it failed to succumb to the pressure of defreezing the bank accounts of the former chief executive officer of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, in the United Kingdom, saying that such development would jeopardise its case against the accused person in court.
Babafemi, who explained that the offer to get Akingbola return over 14 million pounds from his frozen UK accounts would not serve the interest of justice on the long run, stated that both the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, and the EFCC boss had since distanced themselves from the offer.
He said the commission was interested in investigating circumstances surrounding the bid to defreeze Akingbola’s accounts.
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