EXCLUSIVE: EFCC indicts officials for bribing doctor on presidential pardon list
The EFCC has indicted two Federal Justice Department officials for allegedly receiving bribes to smuggle the name of jailed banker, Francis Atuche, into the list of convicts recently pardoned by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
The two indicted officers, according to an EFCC report seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, served as the secretariat of the Presidential Pardon Prerogative Advisory Committee (PACPM).
Emmanuel Fan headed the PACPM secretariat, while the other suspect, Lawrence Marinus, was a member of the secretariat. They both came from the Federal Ministry of Justice to serve in the secretariat of the PACPM.
Another as yet unverified person, who allegedly paid the bribe on Mr. Atuche's behalf, is being tracked by the EFCC, according to the commission's report.
The 12-member PACPM, headed by Federation Attorney General and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, had recommended 162 convicts for pardon and other forms of leniency in a list sent to Mr. Buhari and the State Council on April 14.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the State Board approved the pardon of 159 of those recommended in April. The names of three others have been rejected.
One of the three names rejected was Mr. Atuche, the former managing director of Bank PHB, who was, in June 2021, sentenced to six years in prison for stealing the bank's 27 billion naira .
Mr. Atuche was, on the PACPM list submitted to the Council of State, "recommended for pardon for health reasons putting his life in danger". But the recommendation was rejected by the Council of State.
PetitionHowever, Mr. Malami, on June 6, sent a petition to the EFCC alleging that the PACPM final report had been "tampered with/falsified" to include Mr. Atuche's name.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.According to the AGF, whose request presented "a case of criminal association, abuse of power and corruption", pointed a finger accusing the secretariat of the PACPM.
He explained that the PACPM list, which was finalized in November 2021, was forwarded to the secretariat for production and transmission to President Buhari and the Council of State for review and ratification...
The EFCC has indicted two Federal Justice Department officials for allegedly receiving bribes to smuggle the name of jailed banker, Francis Atuche, into the list of convicts recently pardoned by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
The two indicted officers, according to an EFCC report seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, served as the secretariat of the Presidential Pardon Prerogative Advisory Committee (PACPM).
Emmanuel Fan headed the PACPM secretariat, while the other suspect, Lawrence Marinus, was a member of the secretariat. They both came from the Federal Ministry of Justice to serve in the secretariat of the PACPM.
Another as yet unverified person, who allegedly paid the bribe on Mr. Atuche's behalf, is being tracked by the EFCC, according to the commission's report.
The 12-member PACPM, headed by Federation Attorney General and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, had recommended 162 convicts for pardon and other forms of leniency in a list sent to Mr. Buhari and the State Council on April 14.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the State Board approved the pardon of 159 of those recommended in April. The names of three others have been rejected.
One of the three names rejected was Mr. Atuche, the former managing director of Bank PHB, who was, in June 2021, sentenced to six years in prison for stealing the bank's 27 billion naira .
Mr. Atuche was, on the PACPM list submitted to the Council of State, "recommended for pardon for health reasons putting his life in danger". But the recommendation was rejected by the Council of State.
PetitionHowever, Mr. Malami, on June 6, sent a petition to the EFCC alleging that the PACPM final report had been "tampered with/falsified" to include Mr. Atuche's name.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.According to the AGF, whose request presented "a case of criminal association, abuse of power and corruption", pointed a finger accusing the secretariat of the PACPM.
He explained that the PACPM list, which was finalized in November 2021, was forwarded to the secretariat for production and transmission to President Buhari and the Council of State for review and ratification...
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