Ex-Amnesty boss, Kuku, EFCC differ on invite

Former Special Adviser to former President Jonathan on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have differed on when he should appear before the anti-graft agency to answer questions.

The agency had invited Kuku and two others to answer questions bothering on alleged misappropriation of funds for the amnesty programme running into hundreds of millions of Naira.

Kuku was directed to appear before a team of interrogators at the EFCC office on July 28, 2015, but Kuku through his lawyer reportedly informed the EFCC that he was outside the country, on a medical trip, and would not be able to honour the invitation until the end of September.

The commission had in a letter to Kuku said it is conducting an inquiry into a case of conspiracy, diversion of public funds and abuse of office involving him. The letter read, “The Commission is conducting an inquiry into a case of conspiracy, stealing, diversion of public funds and abuse of office involving you.

“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to be interviewed by the undersigned through Chris Owobu on Tuesday 28th July 2015 at No. 5 Block C Fomella Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, at 10 am. Kindly accept the assurances of the Executive Chairman’s best wishes and highest regards, please.”

Read also: EFCC invites Saraki’s wife, Yar’Adua’s daughter over fraud allegations

But his lawyer, Tunyan Karina (SAN), in a letter to the commission said Kuku would not be available for interrogation until September 2015 as he had travelled to the United States for knee surgery.

“Our client is currently in the United States of America to keep appointment with his doctors at the Andrew Sports, Medicine and Orthopaedic Centre for surgery on one of his knees. He is expected back in Nigeria at the end of September, 2015 after the surgery and recuperation. He will definitely report in your office as a law-abiding citizen by 10:00am on 30th of September, 2015,” Karina wrote in his letter to the EFCC.

Ripples… without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now