‘Ozekhome not on trial’

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, is not on trial.
We reported on Thursday that Ozekhome “is being tried for receiving N75 million from Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.
“The story was on pages 2 and 3, entitled “Sagay: No law stops Magu’s renomination,” with a rider: “SANs divided over Senate’s position on EFCC’s acting chair.”
Chief Ozekhome, whom we hold in very high esteem, was not charged with any offence or arraigned in any court.The paragraph was written in error, with no malice intended.
He is in court challenging the freezing of his chambers’ account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ozekhome said the N75million he received from Governor Fayose was part-payment of his professional fees, having handled eight cases for Fayose and his aides.“
There was no encumbrance on the account from which the money was transferred,” Ozekhome said.
He said Governor Fayose transferred the money to him after Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Ekiti defreezed the account.
He recalled that Zenith Bank in Ekiti also allowed Fayose to withdraw N5million in cash from the account.
He said it was wrong for EFCC to conclude that the money was a proceed of crime when Fayose, who enjoys immunity, has not been tried or convicted.
We apologise to Chief Ozekhome for the error and hereby retract the offending paragraph.