Abuja pastor reacts to report he bought N573m property on Magu’s behalf in Dubai 

The cleric accused of complicity in the alleged fraud perpetrated by the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Monday distanced himself from the allegation levelled against him by the presidential panel probing the anti-graft czar.

The cleric, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, in a letter signed by his lawyer, Chief Gordy Uche and addressed to journalists, rejected the allegation that he bought a property worth N573million in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Magu’s behalf.

Omale, who is also the General Overseer of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministries International, Abuja, said he indeed met Magu in Dubai earlier this year but it was not for the purpose of purchasing a property.

According to him, the suspended EFCC chairman had travelled to Dubai for medical reasons and he only prayed with him.

The cleric said the report of his alleged involvement in corruption “reeks of calumny, denigration, actuated by malice, and calculated to ridicule, disparage and cast a stain on his reputation.”

The presidential panel had on Saturday revealed how Magu allegedly used the cleric to launder funds abroad.

In a report made available to journalists in Abuja, the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel alleged that Omale was used by the EFCC chief to launder funds.

Omale’s name, according to the report, was uncovered through an investigative report on EFCC’s activities by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and mentioned in the final report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA).

READ ALSO: Falana, cleric mentioned as Presidential panel reportedly links Magu to ‘laundering of re-looted funds’

The cleric’s letter read: “We, however, wish to make the following clarifications to put the public records straight: That our client is the General Overseer of an Inter-denominational/Multi-religious Prayer Ministry.

“That our client, only visited Mr. Ibrahim Magu in a hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, sometime in March 2020.

“That our client never laundered any funds whatsoever for Mr. Ibrahim Magu or for anybody whatsoever. Our client does not own any foreign bank account anywhere in the world.

“That there are no funds whatsoever traceable from Mr. Ibrahim Magu to our client’s bank accounts whatsoever neither has our client received any funds whatsoever from Mr. Ibrahim Magu. Our client has never received any funds whatsoever from anybody on behalf of Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

“That our client does not own any property in Dubai. His name was never used to purchase any property whatsoever in Dubai, United Arab Emirates or anywhere else in any part of the world, neither has he purchased any property nor properties for Mr. Ibrahim Magu in any part of the world whatsoever.”

Opinions