The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, has said the N30 billion recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, does not belong to her.
The Daily Crucible reports that President Bola Tinubu, January 8, suspended Betta Edu after N585.2 million fraud allegation rocked her ministry.
President Tinubu also directed the EFCC “to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction” involving her ministry.
However, the agency revealed that N30 billion had been recovered, while over 50 accounts were being investigated.
In its bulletin titled “EFCC Alert,” the commission stated: “Moreover, with respect to this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.”
But a letter issued on Wednesday by Edu’s lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, says no money has been traced to Betta Edu or her bank account by the EFCC.
The letter reads: “Neither N30bn nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceed of crime been traced or recovered from her.
“First and foremost, the language used in describing our client’s purported involvement in the alleged corruption case suggests guilt without allowing for the presumption of innocence, which is fundamental in any fair and unbiased reporting.”
