The outgoing year 2022 has been quite another year of bumper harvests in corruption cases in Nigeria. Corruption, believed to have become endemic in national life, is held responsible for the bulk of the country’s state of being with infrastructure deficit, insecurity, and generally lack of wellbeing of the economy.
Report by Halimah Olamide
Not even the birth of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) all carved out to watch over and handle cases of graft have been strong enough to deter those given to the wrong ways.
Thus, the country has continued to bleed as a result of the activities of those who have perfected the arts of stealing public funds through whatever means that are available to them.
But just as in other previous years, the year 2022 has not been without its own cases of mind-boggling scandals; many of which have been huge enough to cause some convulsion in the overall economic wellbeing of the country.
Below are NPO Reports’s collected cases for the outgoing year with many of them that have sparked uproar over the past 12 months.
No doubt, corruption destabilizes good governance as readers would find in the reports.
SO, THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION, IDRIS AHMED, IS INVOLVED!
The entire country was alarmed when Idris Ahmed, the former Accountant-General of the Federation was nabbed on the 16th of May, 2022, by operatives of the EFCC over an alleged fraud to the tune of N109bn.
He was arrested in Kano but later moved to Abuja for further interrogations by the commission’s investigators.
The EFCC also arrested the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, alongside the Chairman of Finex Professional, Mr. Anthony Yaro for their involvements and roles in the alleged fraudulent activities.
Idris was later arraigned alongside three others on a 14-count of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109, 485,572,691.9.
Others docked with him were Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
The charges had read that “That you, Ahmed Idris between February and December, 2021 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a public servant by virtue of your position as the Accountant General of the Federation accepted from Olusegun Akindele, a gratification in the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46 ( Fifteen Billion, One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Two Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty One Naira and Forty Six Kobo) which sum was converted to the United States Dollars by the said Olusegun Akindele and which sum did not form part of your lawful remuneration but as a motive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine (9) oil producing Sates in the Federation, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under the same section”.
Count eight reads: “That you, Ahmed Idris while being the Accountant General of the Federation and Godfrey Olusegun Akindele while being the Technical Assistant to the Accountant General of the Federation between February and November 2021, at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in such capacity, entrusted with certain property, to wit: N84,390,000,000 (Eighty-Four Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety Million Naira) committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you dishonestly received the said sum from the Federal Government of Nigeria through Godfrey Olusegun Akindele trading under the name and style of Olusegun Akindele & Co., and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990”
Ahmed and his co-defendants were however granted bail on terms and condition set by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, in his ruling on the bail application, ordered that the defendants shall not leave the Federal Capital Territory, and should they want to, they would have to seek clearance from the court or have their bail revoked.
The court had also made the defendants to sign undertakings that they would abide by the bail conditions by the EFCC.
Justice Ajayi had ordered that the defendants should not have and shall not procure alternate passports until the case is done with, having deposited their original passports to the commission.
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THE DRAMA AT ROCHAS OKOROCHA ’S RESIDENCE
The Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, was whisked away from his residence in Abuja by operatives of the EFCC on the 24th of May over alleged N2.9bn fraud.
Okorocha who is currently representing the Imo West Senatorial district was preparing to attend the All Progressives Congress (APC) screening exercise before the arrival of the operatives.
AS the spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren later explained, the move followed the refusal of the former governor to honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the anti-graft agency.
Uwujaren told Nigerians then that the EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9 billion against Okorocha.
The case was assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes.
Okorocha was slammed with 17-counts, as he was accused of diverting N2.9 billion from Imo State government House Accounts and that of Imo State Local Government Joint accounts to private companies.
The alleged offence was said to have been perpetrated by Okorocha and one Anyim Inyerere with the use of their private companies between 2014 and 2016 when he held sway as the Governor of Imo State.
Denying all the charges, Okorocha later engaged the services of four Senior Advocates of Nigeria comprising Okey Amaechi, Solomon Umor, Ola Olanipekun and Kehinde Ogunwumiju to defend him from the allegations against him.
Okorocha had regained his freedom after Justice Inyang Ekwo used her discretionary power of the court to grant the senator N500m bail with a surety who must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Okorocha, like Idris was ordered to deposit his international passport to the registry of the court.
NSIMA EKERE: ANOTHER REASON NDDC HAS NOT SERVED THE NIGER DELTA
Another high-profile arrest carried out by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was that of the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nsima Ekere.
He was arrested for alleged diversion of funds to the tune of N47 billion through registered contractors of the agency.
Ekere, who allegedly committed the offences starting in 2017, was accused of laundering funds from NDDC accounts through contractors to buy choice properties in Lagos.
The former NDDC boss was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom in the 2019 elections.
THE CASE AGAINST SUPO SHASORE
The former Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Olasupo Shashore, was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos on the count charge of money laundering leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The prosecutor accused the defendant of inducing one Olufolakemi Adetore to accept cash payment without going through a financial institution.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After his plea, the prosecutor, Mr. Bala Sanga, urged the court to order a remand of the defendant in custody pending trial.
However, the defence counsel, Mr C.A Candide-Johnson (SAN) who appeared with Messrs Muiz Banire (SAN), Adesegun Adebola (SAN) and Chijioke Okoki (SAN), prayed the court to allow the defendant bail on his self recognisance.
He also informed the court that the defendant had co-operated with the anti-graft agency whenever required, as he had always made himself as well as documents requested from him available whenever required.
Besides, the defence counsel added that investigation of the matter had been on since the past three years, adding that the defendant is not a flight risk
He, therefore, urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of defence.
The prosecutor on his part said that he was not opposed to bail; but added that the concern of the prosecution is only for the defendant to be available to stand trial as lawfully required.
Following the submissions by counsel, the court stood down the matter for a while, so as to deliver a rulling on the bail application
In his rulling, “There is no doubt that the court must strike a balance based on the evidence before it, between the constitutional rights of the defendant to liberty and presumption of innocence and the rights of the state to prosecute its erring citizens.
“Hence, the overriding need by the court to ensure that the complainant/respondent is not incapacitated in the discharge of its function by not releasing the defendant on bail,” he said.
The court held that exercising its discretion in granting bail in favour of the applicant, would better serve the course of justice, as an accused is presumed innocent until guilt is proven.
“The defendant’s application for bail suceeds and the bail is accordingly granted in the following terms:
“Defendant applicant is admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.
“The surety must be a serving director or a permanent secretary in the service of the federation or the Lagos State Government.
“Surety to produce two copies each of his or her recent passport photograph and evidence of payment of tax or tax clearance.
“The defendant’s international passport with the complainant shall be deposited with the registrar of this court pending trial; This is the rulling of the honourable court,” he said.
Meanwhile, the court did not make any remand orders on the defendant who was already on bail.
The court, however, released him to his lawyers pending the perfection of his bail.
The judge adjourned the case until Nov. 24 for trial.
In the charge, the former A-G was alleged to have made a cash payment of 100,000 dollars to one Olufolakemi Adelore through one Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.
He was alleged to have committed the offences on or about Nov.18, 2014.
The EFCC also alleged that the defendant made a cash payment of 100,000 dollars to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.
The offences contravene the Provisions of Sections 1(a) 16(1)(d), 18(c) and 78(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
AND THE LABOUR PARTY’S CAMPAIGN BOSS, DOYIN OKUPE GOES DOWN
It was a most inauspicious time for anyone to be entangled in the web of corruption. Doyin Okupe, until last week, the Director-General of the Peter Obi’s Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council was on December 19, 2022 jailed for two years by a Federal High Court Sitting in Abuja.
Okupe was found guilty on a total of 26 counts – from counts 34 to 59 of the charges for money laundering offences.
The court also sentenced him to two years imprisonment on counts 35 to 59 with an option of a fine of N500,000. The option of fine was to run consecutively on each count while the sentence is to run concurrently.
He was charged over offences on money laundering and diversion of funds of N240 million in cash from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) which was headed by Sambo Dasuki.
Okupe, who was also Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, had to resign as the campaign boss of the Labour Party.
AND D’BANJ TOO?
Many were stunned earlier this month when the name of singer, Oladapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj came up in a corruption case. D’banj was arrested and detained on the 6th of December by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) having been accused of fraudulently diverting hundreds of Naira earmarked by the Nigerian government for N-Power project, an empowerment programme set up in 2016 to address youth unemployment and increase social development.
For days, many waited to seek strands of evidence that would immediately exonerate the musician that he did not, as alleged, collude with some compromised government officials to introduce ghost beneficiaries into the payroll of the scheme.
The stipend paid to those beneficiaries were then said to be paid to accounts that have now allegedly been linked to the artsiste.
The commission had explained that the arrest became necessary after he was said have avoided summons for weeks, claiming to be overseas for scheduled concerts each time he was invited to appear for interrogation over fraud allegation.
Though the D’banj was granted bail, that an artiste of his standing was linked to one of the banes of the Nigerian society is believed to have marked a huge dent on his image.
As the country matches into election in the new year, 2023 promises to be another year of harvests as the anti-graft agencies beam their lights on political officer seekers many of whom are believed to have engaged in one form of fraudulent deal or the other to amass funds for their political projects.
Just in the outgoing year, the World Bank sanctioned about seven Nigerian firms and other individuals over corruption. It was another confirmation that many companies are set up for the mere purpose of committing financial infractions to the detriment of the people.