The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission on Thursday quizzed the National Legal Adviser of the All
Progressives Congress, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), for about seven hours.
The EFCC also seized his passport before releasing him on administrative bail.
It was learnt that Banire, who is a
former Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, was quizzed for the
alleged bribery of a judge.
The senior advocate was said to have
transferred about N500, 000 to Justice Terseer Agbadu-Fishim of the
National Industrial Court.
A source said, “While detectives were
probing Justice Fishim’s account, they discovered that Banire deposited
money into the judge’s account. So, we invited him and he did not deny
it. He only said the money was not a bribe.
“Banire was quizzed by the EFCC for
several hours and his passport was seized from him. He will return for
more questioning as investigations continue.”
Attempts to speak with Banire on Friday proved abortive as his phone indicated that it was switched off.
However, in a text message he sent before he was invited by the EFCC, the senior advocate admitted to giving the judge money.
He, however, maintained that the money was not a bribe but he was merely helping the judge who was broke at the time.
Banire wrote, “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.”
-PUNCH
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