The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, is set to reopen the trial of high profile politicians whose
corruption cases had either been delayed or put in abeyance as a result of
court injunctions.
Commission, EFCC, is set to reopen the trial of high profile politicians whose
corruption cases had either been delayed or put in abeyance as a result of
court injunctions.
A top management officer of the
EFCC told Vanguard, yesterday, that the commission under the leadership of
acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was bent on reopening all the corruption cases
involving top politicians, who were shielded by the court through perpetual
injunctions that had temporarily tied the hands of the commission from
prosecuting them.
EFCC told Vanguard, yesterday, that the commission under the leadership of
acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was bent on reopening all the corruption cases
involving top politicians, who were shielded by the court through perpetual
injunctions that had temporarily tied the hands of the commission from
prosecuting them.
Top on the list of those whose
cases are to be reopened, is former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, who
secured a perpetual injunction from a Federal judge barring the EFCC from
investigating his eight-year tenure over alleged graft.
cases are to be reopened, is former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, who
secured a perpetual injunction from a Federal judge barring the EFCC from
investigating his eight-year tenure over alleged graft.
Justice Ibrahim Buba had granted a
perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from probing graft allegations its
operatives levelled against the former governor.
perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from probing graft allegations its
operatives levelled against the former governor.
The commission, however, filed an
appeal against the ruling, which was described as strange by legal pundits. But
the appeal has not made progress since it was instituted over four years ago.
appeal against the ruling, which was described as strange by legal pundits. But
the appeal has not made progress since it was instituted over four years ago.
However, the top EFCC operative
vowed in an interview with Vanguard that all stumbling blocks to reopening the
cases and similar ones would be removed by the Magu administration at EFCC with
a view to bringing the former governor to book.
vowed in an interview with Vanguard that all stumbling blocks to reopening the
cases and similar ones would be removed by the Magu administration at EFCC with
a view to bringing the former governor to book.
The top operative said that the
new Criminal Justice Administration Act of 2015 has removed the stumbling
blocks to prosecuting those who looted the nation’s treasury.
new Criminal Justice Administration Act of 2015 has removed the stumbling
blocks to prosecuting those who looted the nation’s treasury.
The senior management official of
the commission said: “Let it be made clear that the EFCC will go after all
cases that are deserving of investigation. There is nothing like perpetual
injunctions anymore in our criminal administration justice code.
the commission said: “Let it be made clear that the EFCC will go after all
cases that are deserving of investigation. There is nothing like perpetual
injunctions anymore in our criminal administration justice code.
“We have a duty to investigate all
cases since we are empowered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria to investigate all such corruption-related cases and that is what we
are asked to do.
cases since we are empowered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria to investigate all such corruption-related cases and that is what we
are asked to do.
“We are empowered by Section 15 of
the new Criminal Justice Administration Act to investigate all cases
irrespective of injunctions. We cannot be stopped,” the official said.
the new Criminal Justice Administration Act to investigate all cases
irrespective of injunctions. We cannot be stopped,” the official said.
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