National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Dayo Emmanuel
A report has revealed that five former legislators have allegedly embezzled N8,350,000,000 since 1999.
The amount equivalent of 12.46% of 2016 budget of Ekiti State of N67bn has allegedly ended in private pockets of certain legislators who have since been indicted without conviction.
The report, a product of a research as published by Professor Bolaji Owasanoye in a book titled Justice or Impunity? High profile corruption cases crawling or gone to sleep” gave a graphic detail of the alleged embezzlement investigation of which may have since gone under the carpets.
Meanwhile, anti-corruption watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established by an Act of the Federal Government has continued to fight to get justice against corrupt individuals in Nigeria with little achievements.
Preliminary findings from Owasanoye’s research revealed that regular occurrence of high level corruption in Nigeria leading to endless prosecution may have been burdensome for the EFCC.
“The EFCC appears to be overwhelmed by the high incidence of corruption in Nigeria today.” The report also revealed that “The existing prosecutional machinery appears to be inadequate to meet current challenges,” the report states.
Owasanoye’s publication also revealed that the judicial process in the country has made room for endless prosecution of cases of corruption in the courts. According to the publication, “The judicial process, including practice rules and directions allow accused persons to endlessly rigmarole the justice system.”
Stressing further the lapses in the judicial system, the report made public the conspiracy between judges and lawyers to frustrate cases brought before them bothering on corruption. “Some lawyers and judges conspire to frustrate rather than advance justice through frivolous applications and adjournments, respectively,” it published.
The preliminary observation also stated the failure of the legislation to juxtapose criminal justice administration with current tendencies and challenges. The report observes that, “The legislature has failed to bring our criminal justice administration in line with contemporary challenges.”
“Poor funding contributes in slowing down EFCC’s operational and prosecutorial mandate. The commission cannot perform optimally if it is not financially independent.”
