AGF fooled me into signing warrant for raid on Justice Mary Odili’s residence – Chief Magistrate

AGF fooled me into signing warrant for raid on Justice Mary Odili’s residence – Chief Magistrate

Chief Magistrate of Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court in Abuja, Emmanuel Iyanna has admitted that the Ministry of Justice under Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, lied to get him to sign a search warrant for the residence of a top Supreme Court jurist.

Mr Iyanna said there was misrepresentation in the first information application supplied by an ad-hoc public asset recovery panel domiciled under the justice ministry.

He consequently revoked the search warrant he approved against Justice Mary Odili’s residence in a fresh order issued on Saturday, October 30, Peoples Gazette reports.

“Upon misrepresentation to this honourable court that led to the issuance of a search warrant in favour of Joint Panel Recovery, Ministry of Justice, against House 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, dated October 29, 2021,”

“In view of the above fact, the said search warrant is hereby revoked,” the judge said in the document.

Mr Iyanna’s order came hours after media reported that security operatives tried to breach the residence of Mrs Odili on Imo Rivers Street in Maitama, Abuja.

Officers had arrived at the residence bearing a warrant that was issued based on whistleblower information from Aliyu Umar, an Abuja residence. Mr Umar had deposed on October 13 that there were illegal activities going on at 9, Imo Street, Maitama, that should warrant immediate action from the law enforcement. The whistleblower also said in court filings that the tip-off was supplied to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

 

 

 

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This prompted Mr Iyanna to issue a warrant on October 29 for the property to be searched. Subsequently, operatives mobilised to Mrs Odili’s house based on the warrant seeking to forcibly search it in the evening of October 29, the same day a warrant was approved.

Mrs Odili also argued that the warrant was not meant for her residence since she lives at 7, Imo River Street, Maitama, and not 9, Imo Street, Maitama, as stated in the warrant. The operatives nonetheless laid siege on the residence for hours.

Even though the whistleblower stated in court filings that he provided his findings to the EFCC, the anti-graft office denied playing a role in the operation.