The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, in connection with the payment of N500,000 into the account of a judge of the National Industrial Court (NIC).
Dr. Banire was interrogated at the Lagos office of the commission.
An EFCC source said Banire “claimed that it was not a bribe but an assistance to the judge when he lost one of his parents.
“We are still continuing investigation into the transaction.”
Banire’s interrogation brings to 11 the number of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) being investigated by the anti-graft commission for alleged corruption in the judiciary.
Six judges are similarly being probed. The judges are Justices Agbadu James Fishim; Uwani Abba Aji; Mohammed Nasir Yunusa; Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa; Musa Haruna Kurya and the only female judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.
Some of the judges had earlier reported to the Commission on Monday, 17th October 2016 and Tuesday, 18th October 2016.
Two of the five judges were alleged to have received over N2.75million bribe from two senior lawyers, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) and Joseph Nwobike (SAN).
The EFCC had on March 9, 2016 arraigned Tarfa and Nwobike before a Lagos High Court on allegations of bribery and offering gratification to a public official.
Nwobike and Tarfa are facing criminal prosecution for allegedly offering gratification to Federal High Court judges to refrain them from exercising the duties of their office.
Meanwhile, Banire in a text message to PUNCH before he was invited by the EFCC, maintained that the money was not a bribe but he was merely helping the judge who was broke at the time.
Banire in the text said, “Thank you for clarification sought. I have no official relationship with the said judge. I have never appeared before him in any matter and in fact, in my entire professional career, I have only recently a month ago appeared at the industrial court before a separate judge. He was an old friend in the 90s, who only called me up some years back to seek financial assistance due to his mother’s death. Beyond that, I have not seen him in the last 17 years.”