Following the illegal and fraudulent deductions from the local government accounts, I Joe Agi SAN exposed and tenaciously fought for the refund of the illegal deductions of the sum of $3.18 Billion corruptly deducted from the accounts of Local Government in Nigeria at the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013.
The Federal Government who fraudulently deducted the money has returned part of it the local governments following Judgment against it in the case led by myself (Joe Agi, SAN). But shockingly, instead of investigating and prosecuting those who stole the money, the Government acting through its agents and agencies such as AbubakarMalami, SAN (The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Crime Commission (EFCC) unjustifiably framed me up and charged in a trumped up and baseless charges of bribing Justice A. F. A. Ademola, the trial Judge, with N30M and a car to give the Paris Club Refund Judgment. The charge has since been quashed by the Court and I, Joe Agi, SAN was discharged and acquitted.
Is this not a case of the corruption fighting back? The Federal Government did not even go on Appeal against the Judgment as it does not have any case but to bury its face in shame.
In the intervening period, the Federal Government has reluctantly refunded part of the Paris Club Refund but deliberately failed to mention my name (Joe Agi, SAN) as the hero who exposed Paris Club fraud and secured its refund rather than vilifying me as corrupt and a bribe giver.
The High Court has since cleared me and the Court of Appeal has also affirmed. The pertinent question is: Do Joe Agi, SAN not deserve National Honours for exposing such monumental national fraud? Indeed, every Nigerian has taken benefit of fight against corruption by the billions of Naira released to states and local government through the Paris Club Refund which I fought for.
$30,000 paid to Justice Onnoghen account – in Standard Charged Bank.
I, Joe Agi, SAN have been acquainted with Justice Onnoghen, JSC in our days as Lawyers in Calabar, Cross Rivers State from the 1980s’ before he was appointed a High Court Judge.
In the year 2009, I brought to his knowledge that he can open a domiciliary account instead of travelling with cash from Nigeria to abroad on seminars, holidays, conferences or medical trips. My Lord Justice Onnoghen said he had no idea since opening of foreign account was forbidden for Public Officers. I informed him that domiciliary account is not a foreign bank account as it is opened and operated within the local banks in Nigeria.
It was on this note that I went to my banker Standard Chartered Bank and obtained Account Opening Forms for him as a friend and Senior Brother. He completed the Forms and I refereed him. He gave me $30,000 been left over of his allowances for overseas seminars, holidays, conferences or medical trips to deposit for him as the first deposit. This I did in 2009 i.e 10 years ago. After that he operated the account himself without me paying even a cent into that account till date.
Now 10 years after, I am again being vilified and accused of giving Justice Onnoghen bribe. If I may ask; bribe for which case? In the Supreme Court panel they sit in 5 or 7 persons, was the $30,000 for the 5 or 7 Justices? And for which case? This is another huge joke aimed at vilifying my person by the same cabal who are hell bent on tarnishing my image as an aftermath of the exposure of the Paris Club fraud.
Is it a crime for Judges to have friends or acquaintances? I challenge the Attorney General Malami, SAN and the EFCC to come forward with their proof that the $30,000 Onnoghen sent me to deposit for him 10 years ago was as a result of bribery. I challenge them to come out openly on the real reason why they are out to tarnish my image. They should be bold enough to open up rather than hiding under the guise of fight against corruption as a smokescreen to lunch a smear campaign against my person.
The Government should be sincere and serious about fighting corruption and not be engaged in the deliberate destruction of the names of its citizens whom they perceive as enemies.
Which Nigerian alive today can say he has not benefited from the Paris Club Refund? Yet Joe Agi, SAN who is the face of Paris Club refund is being hounded and haunted instead of being celebrated. God save us!
Let it be known that very prominent people in the present government have corruptly and fraudulently taken the legal fees due to me from the Paris Club Refund and the EFCC have seen nothing wrong with it.
Conscience is like a wound, only time can heal it.
