Malabu: EFCC Denies Bribery Allegations against Official, May Appeal Judgment

Wale Igbintade

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC has described as false the news making the rounds that one of its prosecutors was offered a bribe over the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case, which led to the dismissal of the charges against a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke and others by a Federal Capital Territory High Court.

The anti-corruption agency, however, disclosed that it has commenced a review of developments around the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case, including the dismissal of the charges against Bello Adoke and others by the court in Abuja. The clarification by the anti-crime agency was made by a statement posted on its website and its social media handles.

The review, the EFCC hinted, would entail exploration of the options of appeal and possible change of counsel in view of the commission’s dissatisfaction with the handling of the case.

Speaking on the alleged bribing of its official, the EFCC said its intention to review or appeal the case “has no nexus whatsoever to the spew of speculations imputing compromise by parties to the charge, currently making the rounds in some sections of the media.”

It will be recalled that after the decision of the Abuja High Court to uphold the no case submission of the defendants in the criminal case, a certain online news outfit had spewed the narrative suggesting that the EFCC accused its prosecutor of compromise by prominent lawyers connected to the case.

In denying the narrative of compromise, the anti-corruption agency further said: “EFCC is not obliged to embrace such narratives as it neither accused any of the parties of any unsavoury conduct nor made any conclusive statements about any investigation on the matter.”

The agency also described allegations of compromise as “effusions of mischief makers,” and urged the public to await its next course of actions.