The
Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay
(SAN), says the Federal Government does not want the whistle-blower who
informed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of the N13bn in an Ikoyi
apartment to run mad.
Sagay
said the government believed he needed to be adequately counselled and this was
the reason his commission was delayed
The
senior advocate said this during an interview with Punch correspondent on
Monday.
Sagay
said if the commission, which the whistle-blower claims is N860m, was given to
him immediately; he probably would have squandered it within a month or two.
Sagay
said, “What I gathered from my inquiry is that the man is not sufficiently
stable to receive such a huge sum of money. He is like someone who will almost
run mental when he gets the money and will use it in an irresponsible manner,
attracting not only undesirable people but even danger to himself.
“I
think what they wanted to do for him was to provide counsellors. Not just
counsellors for character and mental situation but counsellors who would be
like consultants that would help him to really invest the money and plan in
such a way that he doesn’t throw it away in five minutes.
“They
are trying to help him. Nobody is denying him anything. They are trying to help
him but he just misunderstands the intention and like everyone that has been
deprived for a long time, he is so desperate to have it but from what I can
see, if they just give him everything, it won’t last more than a month or two
because so many people will start finding ways to get to him and taking their
portions from him. So, they were just trying to help him but he became
hysterical.”
Sagay
hailed the Federal Government’s decision to pay the whistle-blower in tranches,
adding that such a method of payment would deter him from spending it all at
once.
The
PACAC chairman said it was also the responsibility of the government to ensure
that the whistleblower did not become a nuisance.
He
added, “It is better to pay him in tranches. I agree with the government
because if not, he will throw it away. This is valuable money that government
could have used for millions of unemployed and wretchedly poor people.
“One
man is getting it and he just wants it so that he can blow it all in five
minutes? No, the government has a responsibility to see that his excitement
does not end in seeing the money being thrown away irresponsibly. So, I agree
with the government.”
The
lawyer of the whistle-blower, Yakubu Galadima, however, said the government’s
intentions were suspect.
Galadima
wondered why the government did not question his client’s mental capacity when
he was giving the EFCC information on the money.
The
lawyer said even if his client was mental, he still deserved to be given his
due.
He
said, “As far as I am concerned, if the money is not paid by the end of this
month, I am ready to tell the whole world but if they act favourably, their
image will be redeemed.
“Does
Prof. Sagay have contact with my client? Doesn’t my client have relatives that
can take care of him? Even a mad man is entitled to his estate so what are they
talking about? That is not an excuse as far as I am concerned.”
- Punch
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