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| Comptroller General of Prisons, Mr. Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim |
By Saharareporters, New York
A group of lawyers in Lagos State has given a 14-day ultimatum to the Comptroller General of Prisons, Mr. Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim, to explain the role of his prison staff in facilitating the alleged handover of bribe money to fraud suspects in their custody, Fred Ajudua and Ade Bendel, for bribing a judge.
The lawyers, who described themselves as being “duty bound” as stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice, alleged that members of the prison staff are culpable in how the money was transferred to the prison inmates between 2004 and 2005.
The claims are contained a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act letter to the Comptroller General dated 10th January, 2014. In it, the lawyers allege that during the period, the sum of $8.330m was brought to the prison custody on behalf of a former Chief of Army Staff, General Rizi Bamaiyi for the fraud suspects.
The money was allegedly meant as bribe for Justice Olubunmi Oyewole in order to make him manipulate justice in a case before him that involved General Bamaiyi. The money, which was allegedly being sent through Ajudua and Bendel, however did not get to Justice Oyewole
Two prison officials, D.C.P. Vincent and A.C.P. Garuba Abdullah, were particularly implicated in the crime.
Invoking the FOI law, the lawyers threaten court action the Comptroller General fails to provide an explanation of the roles of the prison staff in the scandal, specifying a period of 14 days for the response.
Calling the role of the prison officials an act of aiding and abetting crime, the group raised questions which included whether or not the two accused prison officials, are still in the prison service; the modalities for allowing visitors into Nigerian prisons; whether or not there is a record or ledger of visitors (third parties) that brought the alleged sum of $8.3m to Kirikiri Maximum during the period in question; and whether or not prison rules and regulations allow third parties to enter Kirikiri Maximum without booking.
In addition, the group sought to know whether or not any disciplinary actions or criminal actions have been undertaken by the Office of Comptroller General of Prisons for the two implicated prison officials.
Recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a criminal case against Mr. Ajudua (and others at large) before Justice Atinuke Ipaye over the alleged $8.330m bribe scandal.
The lawyers behind the petition include Ogundele Bamidele Paul; Yinka Farounbi; Niyi Akinmola; Ikechukwu Ikeji; Segun Fatoki and Busola Ogunyode.
CULLED FROM SAHARA REPORTERS
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