Why we handed Goje’s N25bn fraud case to AGF’s office – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the office of the attorney-general of the federation has the constitutional power to take-over any criminal case at any stage of investigation following the controversy that has trailed the anti-graft agency’s withdrawal from the fraud and money laundering trial of Senator Danjuma Goje.

Spokesman for the EFCC, Tony Orilade, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

Orilade was reacting to the takeover of the case of alleged N25 billion fraud filed against former Gombe state Governor, Sen. Danjuma Goje by the anti-graft commission.

He explained that by virtue of the existing law, the office of the attorney- general of the federation is empowered to take-over any criminal case at any stage, whether during investigation or during trial, adding that “and that is exactly what has happened.”

Daily Times recalls that the solicitor general had on behalf of the federal government had on Friday, taken over the case of prosecuting Sen. Goje (APC-Gombe Central) over alleged N25 billion fraud committed while serving as Gombe state governor between 2003-2011.

However, until Thursday last week, Sen. Goje was a contender for the post of Senate President, but dramatically announced his withdrawal from the race after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He subsequently, endorsed his opponent, Sen. Ahmad Lawan (APC-Yobe), who has been endorsed by the Presidency and the APC national leadership for the exalted position.

For almost eight years, the EFCC had been prosecuting the former governor until June 7 and the case which was before Justice Babatunde Quadiri of the Federal High Court II, Jos, had even gone to the Court of Appeal, Jos, in respect of the last two- count charge out of 21 -count charge filed against him by EFCC. The appellate court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the appeal. In a queer twist, when the case came up for an emergency hearing before Justice Quadiri, the EFCC counsel, Wahab Shittu, informed the court that the agency was withdrawing from the case and handing it over to the office of the attorney-general for continuation.

He further told the court that the new counsel from the attorney general of the federation office, Pius Asika was in court to continue with the trial.