Patience Jonathan: Group Accuses EFCC of media trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been accused of plotting to seize assets belonging to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
An advocacy organisation, The Integrity Group. in an open letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, also ccused the EFCC of trying to convict the former first lady through media trials.
The group which claimed to have conducted independent investigations into the allegations of money laundering leveled against Mrs. Jonathan by the EFCC, insisted that none of the allegations were true and urged the anti-graft agency to always conduct accurate investigations before making their findings public.
Part of the letter reads: “We have followed up the recent actions of the EFCC on Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s family, particularly Mrs. Jonathan over corruption allegations, and it is perceived that this campaign by the EFCC, acting as an agent of the Federal Government of Nigeria, is only aimed at pulling down Goodluck Jonathan at all cost given his rising international profile.
“The Integrity Group has and will support a genuine anti-corruption war subject to the rule of law and based on international best practices and standards. But contrary to the false narrative that the EFCC has sold to the public through its media trial machineries, it is important to put out verifiable facts generated from our findings.”
It added: “We challenge EFCC to also publish the particulars of those who plead guilty to money laundering in court, and who purportedly represented the so-called companies, with verifiable Corporate Affairs Commission documents showing that they are directors of the so-called companies. It is our view that the EFCC as currently constituted is lopsided to impoverish the South and tarnish the image of its people through media trials and cooked up corruption allegations. This is truly a clear agenda and it is deliberate.”
“It has deliberately resorted to media blackmail to destroy the credible profiles of genuine Southern elites and GEJ is obviously the end target to be brought down just to rubbish his fast rising international profile. If the EFCC has any genuine case against her, they must be subject to the rule of law. It is becoming clearer day by day that there is a plot to systematically ensure the seizure of every asset belonging to the Goodluck Jonathan and his family.”
