Corruption: EFCC set to dock 4 ex-Govs, 3 ex-Ministers

Corruption: EFCC set to dock 4 ex-Govs, 3 ex-Ministers
By Kenneth Atavti  /   October 4, 2015  /   No Comments





 


efccEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is poised to commence the prosecution of four former governors over allegations bordering on money laundering, embezzlement and contract inflation to the tune of N245 billion.
 Already, the legal department of the commission has prepared the charges, but is awaiting a fiat that will be issued by the eventual Attorney General and Minister of Justice, for them to commence proper prosecution.
 The embattled former governors are Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State, who will be telling the court how N65 billion of state funds disappeared under his watch. Former governor of Abia State, Senator Thoedore Orji, will be battling with the court over alleged money laundering to the tune of N55 billion.
 Also, immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, Martins Elechi will disclose how he spent N45 billion of local government funds while his counterpart in Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero, will be explaining to the court how he allegedly misappropriated the sum of N80 billion belonging to the state.
 Apart from the former governors, three immediate past ministers that served under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who are currently under investigation, will also be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
 They are Comrade Abba Moro, former Minister of Interior. His arraignment will be over the botched recruitment of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS.
 Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) also has questions to answer concerning the controversial payments of judgement debts.
 So also does Senator Stella Uduah over the N155 million bulletproof cars. She is currently in the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to stop the EFCC from arresting and prosecuting her.
 President Muhammadu Buhari had said that the prosecution of ex-government officials, who served under the Goodluck Jonathan administration and their accomplices in the private sector, would begin in earnest once an Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice is appointed.
 A source at the presidency, also confirmed this to Nigerian Pilot Saturday, saying that preliminary investigations had enabled the Buhari administration to identify some ex-government officials, mostly former governors, former ministers and heads of parastatals, as well as other persons in the public or private sector who helped to conceal their ill-gotten wealth for prosecution.
 He added that the list of ex-government officials is mainly of those in the oil and gas sector, but their prosecution would only start in earnest once an Attorney General who is “constitutionally recognised as the chief law officer, is appointed by the president.”
The presidency source noted that the dragnet would only focus on those who were once in the executive arm of government while the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, would handle any corrupt cases involving former governors, their aides and members of the legislature.
“The reason the Attorney General is required for the prosecution of former government officials is because some of the cases will require the assistance of overseas governments to help in tracing where the loot may have been moved, the loot recovery process, and extraditions that can only be handled by the AGF,” he explained.
 Buhari has already sent the list of his ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. He will also be expected to name his AGF and Minister of Justice.
 According to presidency sources, frontline contenders for the post include human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) from Ekiti State; former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) from Ondo State and a former Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, CPC, who also served as part of Buhari’s legal team during all his presidential election petitions against successive Presidents, Abubakar Malami (SAN) from Kebbi State.




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