Presidential Panel: Why Serial Fraudster was Sacked

** Group faults his Claims

** ask him to Appear in Court to face His trial.

An anti- corruption group, Crusade Against Corruption (CAC), has dismissed as false, claims by the sacked Special Investigator to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property, Victor Osita Uwajeh, that he lost his job for refusing to investigate some serving senators including the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and some People Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts.

In a statement on Tuesday, 22nd May, 2018, Uwajeh also claimed that he was sacked because he refused to be used by the Federal Government to hunt down perceived enemies of the government and investigate former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, ex- Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, former First Lady, Patience Jonathan and ex-Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani- Kayode among others.

While reacting to the claims of the accused and ex- Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) informant, Crusade Against Corruption argued that Mr. Uwajeh was embarking on deliberate falsehood to win public sympathy.

In a statement signed by the National President of CAC, Mr kayode Adewole, the group said that from available facts before it, Uwajeh was sacked by Special Investigator to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property for ‎his failure to disclose that there were pending criminal charges against him as at the time it engaged him.‎

Our investigation revealed that the embattled Uwajeh had long been wanted by the court before his appointment as a Special Investigator to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property was reversed.

The group also said that embattled Victor Uwajeh was sacked based on the petition written against him to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice by Lawyers Against Corruption, (LAC), dated 7th of April, 2018. In the petition, the Group raised several allegations bordering on fraud, theft, forgery and blackmail with relevant documents as annexures against Uwajeh which led to his sack.

The group also accused Uwajeh of trying to blackmail Justice John Tsoho of the federal High Court, Abuja, using Barrister Amobi Nzelu to scuttle the warrant of arrest issued by the court against the embattled former EFCC informant on Monday, 21st May, 2018.

The statement issued by the Lawyers Against Corruption reads: Our findings from the Federal Ministry of Justice revealed that, following public outcry over Victor Uwajeh’s appointment as a Consultant to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property‎, the panel carried out a detailed background checks on him with the view to reviewing his appointment.

The office of the AGF had since September 19, 2017 filed four counts against‎ Victor Uwajeh bordering on forgery, documents falsification, fraud and procuring forged documents. The court has since granted the request made by the ‎Federal Government to serve criminal summons‎ on Uwajeh.

‎Before the proceedings of Monday, 21st May, 2018, Justice John Tsoho had declared Uwajeh, as a fugitive of the law. The judge further berated the Nigeria Police for protecting a fugitive by assigning him a Police Officer to guard his house. This pronouncement was made after the court was informed by the prosecution counsel that Victor Uwajeh was under police protection.

Justice John Tsoho issued an arrest warrant against Uwajeh for his repeated refusal to appear before the court for his arraignment in respect of the four-count criminal charges filed against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office.‎

Contrary to Victor Osita Uwajeh’s claim of being a UK based Private Investigator, investigation revealed that he has been using fake Investigator’s licence and certificate since 2007 to parade himself and impersonate as a UK trained private investigator.

That following a diligence conducted by the law firm of Graceland Solicitors in the United Kingdom on Uwajeh’s claims of being a licensed Private Investigator, in their letter of report dated 1st March, 2018, it was shockingly revealed that Uwajeh was only registered by Security Industry Authority (SIA) on the 26th of May, 2017 as a Non Front Liner with Licence Number: 1003909165766561.

That the report from Graceland Solicitors also revealed that Uwajeh only recently registered with the SIA on the 26th of May, 2017 to enable him carry out the work of managing, supervising and/or employing individuals who engage in such activities like manned guarding, key holding and immobilization, restriction and removal of vehicles. Contrary to Uwajeh’s claim, the licence has nothing to do with qualification as an investigator or forensic expert; and will expire on the 25th of May, 2020.

A source equally told journalists that a background checks on Victor Uwajeh revealed that he has also been linked with so many criminal activities and corruption charges bordering on forgery, conspiracy, fraud and criminal impersonation. Sometimes in 2008, when operatives of the EFCC stormed his Abuja residence, they recovered several sensitive materials relating to the criminal case against Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, which he used in blackmailing her to part with millions of Naira.

He presented fake identity card marked No. 23-340-1107, purportedly issued to him by EFCC as its informant in claiming that he was an operatives of the Commission with licence by the British Government to practice as a private investigator. However, investigation by EFCC revealed that it was a sham.

“That in the criminal proceedings involving Osita Victor Uwajeh in charge No. FCT /HC/CR/31/2010 between Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs. Victor Osita Uwajeh, evidence was led to show that upon being authorized by the former Chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri vide a letter dated 3rd November 2008, with reference No. EFCC/EC/GC/031/1509, titled ‘Instruction to Act on Behalf of EFCC”, he took advantage of the authority to parade himself to the unsuspecting public as an EFCC official and engaged in acts of blackmail, extortion and forgery from politically exposed persons.”‎

In their determination to expose Uwajeh’s false claim of being a UK trained Private Investigator, Lawyers Against Corruption, (LAC) have also vowed to write to the UK High Commission in Nigeria to investigate or demand clarifications about Uwajeh’s background, activities in the United Kingdom and the truth or otherwise of his claims.