EFCC lied, former SGF still in custody ―Ozekhome

CONTRARY to the statement credited to the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that it has released the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, from its custody, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said the former SGF is still in EFCC detention.

Ozekhome, a counsel to the embattled former SGF said in a statement on Friday that the, “carefully planted false and misleading reports published in various online and newsprint media to the effect that Anyim has since Wednesday, November 22, 2017 been released by the EFCC on administrative bail, is a lie from the pot of hell”.

He added that the misleading report was intended to deceive the world and divert attention from the gross abuse of the fundamental rights of Anyim who has been kept under inhuman and degrading conditions.

He said the truth is that, “Anyim is still held in EFCC custody till this minute, in spite of fulfilling all administrative bail conditions laid out for him, including the deposit of his international passport and being compelled, under duress and undue influence to sign all manners of self-incriminating and property stripping documents against his will”.

The senior lawyer said in spite of the clear provisions of Section 35 and 36 of the constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), EFCC bluntly refused to release Anyim to go and attend to his very poor health over which he was receiving treatment before he was forcibly taken away from his home.

He then called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to prevail on the anti-graft agency to respect the rule of law and the constitution and release Anyim forthwith, since no charge has been preferred against him and since he has fulfilled all administrative bail conditions.

EFCC was said to have announced Anyim’s release less than two days after it announced that it has secured a court warrant to detain him for 30 days.

Anyim, who is a former Senate President, is being investigated for allegedly collecting N520 million from a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (rtd) and awarding contracts worth N13 billion to companies he had interests in.

Anyim, who is the most senior official under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan to be arrested by the EFCC, had also been summoned by the House of Representatives over his role in the controversial centenary city project of the Jonathan administration.

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