No deal with corrupt ex-governors, says EFCC


OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday dispelled apprehension that it might have struck a deal to protect former governors allegedly indicted for corruption.
The commission said it would remain focused to its responsibilities, stressing that those indicted in its reports would still face prosecution.

The assurance came as thousands of Enugu citizens trooped besieged the Independence Layout, Enugu South-East zonal office of the EFCC to present a petition. They demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani for allegedly looting the state's funds while he was in office from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.

The protesters gathered from all walks of life in the state as early as 8 a.m. and marched en masse to the EFCC office under the umbrella of coalition of civil society organisations in the state, comprising men and women, young and old.

Receiving the protesters on behalf of the commission, Mr. Hyacinth Edozie (head of operations), who initially thought it was a gathering of youths praised them for the peaceful and mature conduct of the procession, promising that their petition would certainly reach the chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

He said that regardless of negative media reports about alleged complacency of the body over the alleged cases of corruption against some public officers, the organisation has not lost tempo in the processing of the cases.

"We will in no way turn back," he stated.

Rather, according to him, the EFCC had adopted a new strategy in handling of the Chimaroke Nnamani case and that of others.

He said: "There are many ways to kill a rat. You can kill it through the back or front or by any means, but the most important thing is that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that the rat must die."

Insisting that the EFCC still stands by its earlier preliminary report that indicted the former governor of gross abuse of office and corruption, Edozie pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with EFCC because "they want to close all loopholes about the cases."

However, he said that being on bail does not amount to be innocent. "Somebody is on bail does not mean he is free."

In the petition, the protesters demanded among others the arrest and prosecution of Senator Nnamani and all his lieutenants for the alleged looting of Enugu funds and other "economic crimes against the government and people of Enugu State and the entire humanity at large."


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jun/28/29.html

Obj has ended his own magic, Musa is just starting so lets wait and see what the act will be.

I wouldn't blame Umaru at this point because it takes time, honesty and intelligence to cleanup the mess Mr EFCC and his father have created. I still think something special will happen very soon. It is not fair for all these criminals to loot the states treasuries for personal use and still walk around the country freely, they must pay.

Don't blame Nuhu (he did not understand the game) or Umaru (he is still a new kid on the block), blame our former president (he is the root to all corruption that took place between 1999 to 2007).

degoat:

I wouldn't blame Umaru at this point because it takes time, honesty and intelligence to cleanup the mess Mr EFCC and his father have created. I still think something special will happen very soon. It is not fair for all these criminals to loot the states treasuries for personal use and still walk around the country freely, they must pay.

Don't blame Nuhu (he did not understand the game) or Umaru (he is still a new kid on the block), blame our former president (he is the root to all corruption that took place between 1999 to 2007).

Amen! It must be my lucky night! Don't have to think or write much tonight! My brother, you said it all! Nothing to add, nothing to subract! GBAM! Right on the money honey!

Love you too, Sweet MILITIA

More whams to you degoat! Please keep the "reality checks" coming!

Conduct Tribunal Affirms Right to Try Ex-Govs

The controversy as to whether the Code of Conduct Tribunal has powers to try former governors and other public office holders at the expiration of their tenure was put to rest as a tribunal yesterday ruled that it has absolute powers to undertake the trial of accused persons who might have breached relevant provisions of the Constitution relating to assets declaration.
Former Governors with charges against them at the tribunal are: Prince Abubakar Audu, Kogi State, Bola Tinubu, Lagos State, Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State and George Akume of Benue State, among others.
Ruling on Prince Abubakar Audu’s application that the tribunal lacked powers to try him because of the immunity clause, the tribunal chairman, Justice Constance Momoh said that the immunity does not extend beyond the tenure of the accused.
She said that she had carefully examined the submissions of both lawyers in the application and came to the conclusion that Prince Audu has to face his trial, adding that since the nature of the charge before the tribunal was criminal, it followed that the accused must henceforth appear in person from September 18 when hearing shall commence.
According to her, the law establishing the tribunal did not state that any person charged to the tribunal while in office could not face trial upon leaving the position.
She argued that the punishment mentioned in the Constitution was without prejudice to the penalties that may be imposed by any law where the breach of conduct is also a criminal offence.
“Nothing in this section shall prejudice the prosecution of a public officer punished under this section; or preclude such officer from being prosecuted or punished for an offence in a court of law.”
“The above provisions explain why the accused is being prosecuted for contravention in the tribunal and also for criminal offences in the high court. Since the law allows that application before the tribunal, it is not an abuse of the charges before the Kogi State High Court. That ground of objection fails.”
Speaking specifically on the powers of the tribunal to try former public officers for contravening the code of conduct provisionsduring their tenure as public officers, Justice Momoh, having reviewed the submissions of Orji Nwafor Orizu for the accused and Mr. Thompson Olatigbe, said the answer was glaring from the constitutional and statutory powers of the tribunal as exemplified in the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
According to her, it was against the intention of the law or even public policy to uphold the submission of the accused person that a former public officer like the governor is not answerable to the tribunal for the offences committed.
“The present accused (Audu) as governor was a public officer that enjoyed certain privileges such as immunity in regular courts. Assuming that immunity applies to proceedings in the code of conduct tribunal, the immunity only subsists during his tenure of office.”
She said the pronouncement of the supreme court in the case of Gani Fawehinmi and the Inspector General of Police support the view that former public officers like governors are liable to be presented for the offences committed while holding office as governor.
“From the pronouncements it is clear that the immunity where it is claimed terminates when the person enjoying the immunity ceases to hold office and therefore liable to prosecution for offences committed after he has ceased to be a public officer.”
“Another provision affecting former public officers is found in Paragraph 1 l(l(b), (2, and (3, which requires public officers at the end of their tenure to declare their assets. Any violation thereof is a breach of the Code of Conduct referable to the Code of Conduct Tribunal. There is no provision in the Act or Constitution disallowing the prosecution of any former or retired public officers for contravention of the Act committed while holding office as a public officer.”
She consequently dismissed the objection against the jurisdiction for lacking in merit and ordered the accused to appear for the trial on 18th September 2007.


http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link="http://www.thisdayonline.com"

I think Ribadu should be prevented from getting involved in prosecuting any of these governors; it will make things a lot easier for the new administration.

No one is talking about IBB or even better yet; the so called Dr Peter odili, alisa Donatus. What did Odili and his friends or colleagues do with Rivers monies from 1999 to 2007; If they supposedly traced 22 billion naira to the former speaker's bank account, only God knows how much Mr Donatus himself carted away; no wonder PH airport does not even have any A/C and still have 1 arrival and 1 departure gate. EFCC na where una dey abi nobody go do anything at all; If not maybe we the people suppose begin kill all these crio them.

Does it mean no trial for d ex govs?Na so dem go fade with our money?

Due Process is the opposite of kangarooism

Relax they have to go but by the rule of the Law.


0- 5billion = 10 year jail term

5 billion - 10 billion= 20 years jail term

over 10billion over = life imprisonment

Dream On. Nobody is going to jail. infact I just heard that to celebrate leaving office successfully, Ibori has just taken a new wife. Nice isnt it

monkeyleg:

Dream On. Nobody is going to jail. infact I just heard that to celebrate leaving office successfully, Ibori has just taken a new wife. Nice isnt it

If that is true, he's just got in big problem, unless the wife consented to the new marriage.  What the    spending stolen money on new marriage. EFCC, ICPC God will catch him (that is what most Nigerians resort to when they can get justice from the corrupt Nigerian system).

monkeyleg:

Dream On. Nobody is going to jail. infact I just heard that to celebrate leaving office successfully, Ibori has just taken a new wife. Nice isnt it

Yu dey joke?

lol!!!

So I am joking En? Weeks before hand over, Oga Sir was sighted in La Casa drinking champagne with plenty plenty mukays at each side of him. I think he was entertaining one of the African Ambassador to Nigeria, possibly discussing his escape route.

Its no joke, if you do not believe, maybe we should do a thread on how many wives the guy actually has.


Nigerian's should stop kidding themselves, no jail for anyone. I think the sooner we accept that and move on, the better

who cares!

moondust:

who cares!

I do. And I know that they will be arrested some day, soon.
Many days for the thief, one day for the owner.

Dt day don come well well.

D day wey fowl g, go open don come.

Make dem make sure say dem give Ibori to Yerima to cut im hand well well.


ARMED ROBBERS

na wa o! me sha am maintaining my siddon look attitude cos i don tire!

It is really sad, but I doubt anything would be done. We have a history of not pursuing justice in Nigeria, and I doubt seriously that is going to chage anytime soon. The stakes are too high, and I dont think the present regime have the will power or legitimacy to follow through an honest cleanup.

I would really want to be proven wrong, for the vast majority of Nigerians, but I really do not see things changing. Change in Nigeria can only come when those trully seeking change out weight those who would rather have Nigeria the way it is.

Sorry, but that is the truth

Never say never. The struggle to justice for our country may be hard, but its never impossible!
It'll definitely require some work to be done- meaning certian people would have to get out of their comfort zone, get down and get their hands dirty.But in order to accomplish this progress we need to act collectively.
The problem is a few of us have made a firm resolution to chop till our belle burst, our neck tear when we get in office.
Dem say power dey sweet, power is intoxicating.

These crooks are not a bit bothered by you, they will continue spending your treasury on trips, women, assorted delicacies,etc anything but the social amenities you need to make life easier. Afterall, they bought your votes to get in office with 400 naira some of you 500. If you attempt to open your mouth, they will remind you of the hands that fed you.
That explains why we have some of us even here on nairaland saying "calm down" ,"peace", "nothing dey happen", "abeg remove Ribadu" to cunningly assure their continual looting. Fear no dey catch person again.

Anyway, no matter how you look am, EFCC don try. But power get power.
My message is, we need to be smarter than the opressor. We cannot wait with arms folded, for them to continue to oppress, hoping somebody fight for us.
Let us find our survival in this struggle together by saying "no" collectively to corruption, by inwardly sacrificing together and deciding our future together. Do you think you deserve better in a country blessed with agriculture, crude oil,advanced communications, etc -a country known as the Giant of Africa.Then demand it. Join the struggle to justice.

EFCC go handle itself by God's grace.

My man, you continue to repeat "they" "they" over and over. "They" are not the only problem facing Nigeria. We all represent Nigerian problem; and till we are ready to accept this responsibility, this problem remains unsolved.

They can go ahead and arrest every single governor, but our problem is not solved and will not be solved; because another crew is ready to pick up where the former governors and OBJ stopped.
We must all come together as one, restructure the system and clean up our culture.

With due respect IBB houseboy Big B1, I must commend you for staying up till 4 o clock in the morning when Oga is asleep to chime in on issues facing Nigeria. It reflects you have a concern for this country. While I agree with you on the present political quagmire we must bring to subjugation, your continual stance advocating turning a blind eye to JUSTICE, to our nation’s KNOWN looters leaves me begging the question- what is really this concern that you have for our great country?
Bro, you’re purporting reinventing the wheel when the resources generated from the tire of this same wheel is constantly pocketed by our thieving leaders.

Big B1:

They can go ahead and arrest every single governor, but our problem is not solved  and will not be solved; because another crew is ready to pick up where the former governors and OBJ stopped.
We must all come together as one, restructure the system and clean up our culture.

This is a blatant misconception because the problem will definitely be solved if the law is properly applied and the crooks are stamped out from our society.

Big B1:


They can go ahead and arrest every single governor, but our problem is not solved and will not be solved; because another crew is ready to pick up where the former governors and OBJ stopped.
We must all come together as one, restructure the system and clean up our culture.

This is not true. Nigerians (moreso the affluent ones) are cowards. If even a few are handled accordingly, it will definitely serve as a detterent to the whole country.

Court stops IG, EFCC, others from arresting Fayose

FORMER governor of Ekiti Sate, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, is set to return to the state, courtesy of a Lagos State Federal High Court Order which forbids his arrest, detention, intimidation, harassment or curtailment of his movement.


Ruling on the ex parte motion brought before it by the former governor, which asked the court to grant him leave to exercise his fundamental human rights under Section 35(1), Section 36(1) and Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the presiding judge, Justice T. Abubakar, granted all the prayers of the plaintiff.


The order, which was contained in suit No. FHC/L/CS/584/2007, declared that “all the application is granted.” And the applicant is granted leave to enforce his fundamental rights.


The order pronounced a “stay of all actions by the Nigeria Police, and State Security Service (SSS), including arrest, detention, molestation and restriction of applicant’s movement.”


The court also stated that “it is ordered: That this Order and other processes filed by the applicants be served on all the respondents.

The matter has been adjourned till 16th day of July, 2007 for report of service.”


Counsel for the former governor, Dr. Alex A. Iziyon (SAN), in line with the order of the court, has written to the Ekiti State Director of SSS notifying him of the court order.


In a letter addressed to the state security boss, Dr. Iziyon said “we believe, as tested officer in your area, you will ensure compliance and follow the due process in this matter. In this regard, your subordinate officers who might be overzealous (sic) by breaching the order need to be updated and appraised of this new trend.”


In his reaction, Fayose described the “recent development as an acid test for the new Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, who has vowed to uphold the rule of law, to put his resolve into action, by ensuring that due process is strictly adhered to in this matter.”


Already, the former governor has officially informed the state governor, Mr. Segun Oni, of his intention to return to the state in order to continue to contribute his own quota to the political, social and economic advancements of the state.


Nigerian Tribune also gathered that the former governor’s supporters are planning a rousing welcome for him in the state.


http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link="http://www.tribune.com.ng"

you all should go ahead and dream not even one soul will be arrested i promise you that. at least fayose can come out from hiding na shey bi so who do you want to arrest tell me

@bushfellow

“NEO – BLACK MOVEMENT”

so u be confra!!!

Those govs are going to be arrested, just wait and see.

Those govs are going to be arrested, just wait and see

Lets wait and see and angel please let us stick to the topic please. thank you.

he he he. of course

thank you