In Separate Probe, EFCC Begins Investigation of Eight Judges, Two Court Registrars

At least eight Nigerian judges and two
court registrars are being investigated following allegations of
corruptions levelled against them, the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission has said.

The announcement came six days after the
State Security Services raided the homes of seven other judges and
arrested them over graft charges. Justice Mohammed Liman could not
be arrested in Port Harcourt after Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike and
the police blocked SSS operatives from doing so.

The arrested judges were released on
bail on Sunday. The SSS however said eight others might soon be
rounded up to answer questions regarding alleged corruption.

In its statement Thursday, the EFCC said
investigations were proceeding well in the fresh and unrelated
probe and that the judges found culpable would soon be arrested and
charged to court.

The names of the judges being
investigated were however not disclosed.

“Some of the suspects who have been
invited have made useful statements that have been of great
assistance to the investigations,” EFCC spokesperson, Wilson
Uwujaren, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

“In due course, those who have cases to
answer would be arrested and charged to court.”

The commission said “of the seven judges
who are subject of the SSS raids, only one of them previously
featured in a petition on alleged corruption to the EFCC.”

Investigation into the petitions against
the judges, it said, had reached advanced stage when one of the
judges got a Federal High Court order to stop further probe by the
Commission.

“EFCC is still trying to vacate that
order for the investigation to proceed unfettered,” Mr. Uwujaren
said.

The anti-graft agency was responding to
a newspaper report suggesting that the Attorney General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami, had lost confidence in the EFCC, and
now preferred to direct corruption allegations to the SSS for
investigation.

But in its statement, the EFCC argued
that the report was incorrect, saying, “there is no friction with
the office of the AGF and the Commission is not involved in
inter-agency squabbles with the SSS.”

“Indeed, the Commission, along with the
SSS, ICPC, Police and the office of the AGF, is a member of a
technical committee that meets at the highest level of government
to collaborate and coordinate strategies against corruption,” Mr.
Uwujaren said. “The last such meeting was as recently as
today.”

He added, “However, Nigerians deserve to
know that the nature of professional investigation of financial
crimes is highly discrete and not given to theatre.

“The subject usually does not know the
Commission is amassing evidences against him or her for several
months before the strike. Therefore, the notion that a petition is
submitted today and the next things that follow are instant
arrests, prosecution and convictions is highly misleading.”

Below is the full statement by the
EFCC.

EFCC PRESS RELEASE Re: Why AGF
Shuns EFCC, Sends Judges’ Cases to DSS

The attention of the EFCC has been drawn
to a story in the Thursday, 13 October edition of The Punch,
headlined, ‘Why AGF shuns EFCC, Sends Judges’ Cases to DSS’. The
story, quoting some unnamed sources, tried to drive wedges between
the Commission and the office of the Honourable Attorney General of
the Federation (AGF) on the one hand and the Commission and the
Department of State Services (DSS) on the other. It alleges among
others, that the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the
Federation, frustrated by the alleged tardiness of the EFCC in
handling petitions forwarded to it, now sends the same cases to the
DSS.

EFCC wishes to put on record, that there
is no friction with the office of the AGF and the Commission is not
involved in inter-agency squabbles with the DSS. Indeed, the
Commission, along with the DSS, ICPC, Police and the office of the
AGF, is a member of a technical committee that meets at the highest
level of government to collaborate and coordinate strategies
against corruption. The last such meeting was as recently as
today.

Further, it must be stated that of the
seven judges who are subject of the DSS raids, only one of them
previously featured in a petition on alleged corruption to the
EFCC. Investigation into the petition had reached an advanced
stage, when one of the judges got a Federal High Court order to
stop further investigation by the Commission. EFCC is still trying
to vacate that order for the investigation to proceed
unfettered.

However, Nigerians deserve to know that
the nature of professional investigation of financial crimes is
highly discrete and not given to theatre. The subject usually does
not know the Commission is amassing evidences against him or her
for several months before the strike. Therefore, the notion that a
petition is submitted today and the next things that follow are
instant arrests, prosecution and convictions is highly
misleading.

In this regard, EFCC is currently
investigating eight (8) judges and two (2) court registrars. Some
of the suspects who have been invited have made useful statements
that have been of great assistance to the investigations. In due
course, those who have cases to answer would be arrested and
charged to court.

Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media &
Publicity 13/10/2016

The post In Separate Probe, EFCC Begins Investigation of
Eight Judges, Two Court Registrars appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome
to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information and Services
Portal.

At least eight Nigerian judges and two
court registrars are being investigated following allegations of
corruptions levelled against them, the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission has said.

The announcement came six days after the
State Security Services raided the homes of seven other judges and
arrested them over graft charges. Justice Mohammed Liman could not
be arrested in Port Harcourt after Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike and
the police blocked SSS operatives from doing so.

The arrested judges were released on
bail on Sunday. The SSS however said eight others might soon be
rounded up to answer questions regarding alleged corruption.

In its statement Thursday, the EFCC said
investigations were proceeding well in the fresh and unrelated
probe and that the judges found culpable would soon be arrested and
charged to court.

The names of the judges being
investigated were however not disclosed.

“Some of the suspects who have been
invited have made useful statements that have been of great
assistance to the investigations,” EFCC spokesperson, Wilson
Uwujaren, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

“In due course, those who have cases to
answer would be arrested and charged to court.”

The commission said “of the seven judges
who are subject of the SSS raids, only one of them previously
featured in a petition on alleged corruption to the EFCC.”

Investigation into the petitions against
the judges, it said, had reached advanced stage when one of the
judges got a Federal High Court order to stop further probe by the
Commission.

“EFCC is still trying to vacate that
order for the investigation to proceed unfettered,” Mr. Uwujaren
said.

The anti-graft agency was responding to
a newspaper report suggesting that the Attorney General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami, had lost confidence in the EFCC, and
now preferred to direct corruption allegations to the SSS for
investigation.

But in its statement, the EFCC argued
that the report was incorrect, saying, “there is no friction with
the office of the AGF and the Commission is not involved in
inter-agency squabbles with the SSS.”

“Indeed, the Commission, along with the
SSS, ICPC, Police and the office of the AGF, is a member of a
technical committee that meets at the highest level of government
to collaborate and coordinate strategies against corruption,” Mr.
Uwujaren said. “The last such meeting was as recently as
today.”

He added, “However, Nigerians deserve to
know that the nature of professional investigation of financial
crimes is highly discrete and not given to theatre.

“The subject usually does not know the
Commission is amassing evidences against him or her for several
months before the strike. Therefore, the notion that a petition is
submitted today and the next things that follow are instant
arrests, prosecution and convictions is highly misleading.”

Below is the full statement by the
EFCC.

EFCC PRESS RELEASE Re: Why AGF
Shuns EFCC, Sends Judges’ Cases to DSS

The attention of the EFCC has been drawn
to a story in the Thursday, 13 October edition of The Punch,
headlined, ‘Why AGF shuns EFCC, Sends Judges’ Cases to DSS’. The
story, quoting some unnamed sources, tried to drive wedges between
the Commission and the office of the Honourable Attorney General of
the Federation (AGF) on the one hand and the Commission and the
Department of State Services (DSS) on the other. It alleges among
others, that the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the
Federation, frustrated by the alleged tardiness of the EFCC in
handling petitions forwarded to it, now sends the same cases to the
DSS.

EFCC wishes to put on record, that there
is no friction with the office of the AGF and the Commission is not
involved in inter-agency squabbles with the DSS. Indeed, the
Commission, along with the DSS, ICPC, Police and the office of the
AGF, is a member of a technical committee that meets at the highest
level of government to collaborate and coordinate strategies
against corruption. The last such meeting was as recently as
today.

Further, it must be stated that of the
seven judges who are subject of the DSS raids, only one of them
previously featured in a petition on alleged corruption to the
EFCC. Investigation into the petition had reached an advanced
stage, when one of the judges got a Federal High Court order to
stop further investigation by the Commission. EFCC is still trying
to vacate that order for the investigation to proceed
unfettered.

However, Nigerians deserve to know that
the nature of professional investigation of financial crimes is
highly discrete and not given to theatre. The subject usually does
not know the Commission is amassing evidences against him or her
for several months before the strike. Therefore, the notion that a
petition is submitted today and the next things that follow are
instant arrests, prosecution and convictions is highly
misleading.

In this regard, EFCC is currently
investigating eight (8) judges and two (2) court registrars. Some
of the suspects who have been invited have made useful statements
that have been of great assistance to the investigations. In due
course, those who have cases to answer would be arrested and
charged to court.

Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media &
Publicity 13/10/2016

The post In Separate Probe, EFCC Begins Investigation of
Eight Judges, Two Court Registrars appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome
to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information and Services
Portal.