The Nation Newspaper

Tag: EFCC

  • Subsidy scam: Court dismisses Arisekola son’s applications

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Friday dismissed three applications filed by an oil marketer, Abdullahi Alao, who is being prosecuted for an alleged N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, dismissed the applications for “being an abuse of court processes.”

    One of the dismissed applications had prayed the court to set aside its October 21 ruling which dismissed Alao’s previous application to quash the charges.

    The other application had urged the court to stay further proceedings on the trial, pending the determination of Alao’s appeal against the ruling at the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

    The third application had sought for a referral of the matter to the Court of Appeal, for a case slated for hearing.

    In her ruling, Okunnu struck out the applications on the grounds that the prayers being sought for had been previously determined by the Supreme Court in other matters.

    She said Section 277 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State subject states that “an appeal for stay of proceedings shall not be entertained until judgment is delivered in a criminal matter.

    “It is a roundabout attempt to stall proceedings and an abuse of the process of the court,” the judge held.

    Okunnu, therefore, adjourned the matter till February 27, 2014 for continuation of trial.

     

  • Party faults arrest of Kano lawmakers

    Party faults arrest of Kano lawmakers

    •’It’s political vendetta’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday described the arrest of the Speaker, Clerk and nine members of the Kano State House of Assembly by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as “political vendetta by a hurting presidency, whose target is the governor”.

    In a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said: “Since the arrest of the lawmakers for approving a budget cannot be justified by any law, it is clear to all discerning Nigerians that the only motive is to harass and intimidate the lawmakers of a state that recently escaped from the hell-hole called the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the APC.

    “The politically-motivated arrest marks the beginning of the long-expected series of persecution by a desperate Federal Government of APC states, especially those that recently ducked the cascading PDP plague.

    “We call for the immediate release of the legislators by the malleable EFCC, which has suddenly found enough resources from its dried-up coffers to go after innocent men, when the same commission looked the other away while monumental corruption stalked the land, whether it is the Oduahgate, the fuel subsidy scam or the SURE-P heist, to list a few.

    “Nowhere in the world are lawmakers arrested for carrying out their constitutional- role of approving a budget. The world must be having a good laugh at the lack of ingenuity by a government that is so eager to extract a pound of flesh from supposed political enemies that it would orchestrate arrests for offences unknown to law.

    “The allegation that Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s supplementary budget was meant to cover-up a dubious transaction, due to a budget review request to the Assembly to the value of N28 billion from the initial budget of N24 billion, is as spurious and laughable, just as the EFCC’s claim that the arrest followed a petition by a stakeholder in the state is questionable.

    ‘”The tragedy of the unfolding scenario, which will surely extend to other APC states in the days ahead, is that a democratically-elected government is toeing the well-worn vindictive path of a military dictatorship by harassing and intimidating supposed opponents and stifling the opposition.

    “The Gestapo-style siege on the Kano Assembly is a throwback to what Nigerians thought was a bygone era of military dictatorship. We hate to say it, but we have been proven right in our warning in October that the President was using Rivers State to test-run fascism. Now, he seems ready to roll.”

    It vowed to use all constitutional means to resist any attempt to use state institutions against the opposition; to use trumped-up charges to victimise perceived political opponents and to curtail the citizens’ right of free association

    APC said: “From the moment our party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was dragged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over a case that lacked merit to the arrest of Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido’s sons and the grounding of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s plane, the Jonathan administration has not relented in its search for any crude measure to badger the opposition and perceived opponents to submission.

    “But if history is any guide, no force is good enough to stop an idea whose time has come. For us in the APC, the cheap shots from a diminished presidency and the evil machinations of a crumbling behemoth called the PDP can only strengthen our resolve to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of entities, which are steeped in medieval tactics of coercion, even as governance has suffered a crushing neglect.”

  • Ribadu urges Christians to emulate Jesus

    Ribadu urges Christians to emulate Jesus

    Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday urged Christians to learn from the life of Jesus Christ, whose birth Christmas stands for.

    A statement by his office in Abuja said the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain underscored the need for unity among Nigerians to pave the way for the socio-political advancement of the country.

    Ribadu said Jesus Christ was a special gift to the world, as he lived an exemplary life for the wise among mankind to study and emulate.

    He said: “At this important turn of economic, socio-political challenges for our country, our Christian brothers and sisters have significant roles to play by drawing from the esteemed life of Jesus Christ.

    “Christmas, therefore, should not be for the merriment of it alone. It should be a time to reflect and imbibe the virtues of charity, humility, tolerance and unity, as exemplified by Jesus.”

    According to him, tolerance is needed not only between followers of different faiths but also among various shades of political inclinations.

    On unity, Ribadu emphasised that Nigerians need to be united to confront the present challenges mitigating against the country’s progress.

  • Comments

    Comments

    For Dare Olatunji

    There can be false and crooked ways to achieve right goals. The virtue of prudence implies that both the end of human action and the means for its realization be in keeping with the truth of things. The lesson in “Redeeming Bode George” is that what was immorality a decade ago may not be immorality today. But is truth still constant? From Adegoke O O, Ikhin, Edo State.

    So confused and frustated is OBJ after instigating the so-called rebel G-7 governors on the futile bid to destablise PDP. He failed woefully and thousands of OBJ can’t stop GEJ’s second term bid; let it be drummed into the ears of OBJ. From Eugene, Enugu.

    Great piece. A damning CIA Report was responsible for the treason trial that sent Mandela to life imprisonment in the first place. Anonymous

    Re-The Mandela files-2. Mandela in America. Despite accusations against late Mandela, he remained and remains a hero worldwide. Which freedom did anyone or a community win with peace? Blood had always been let! Even the slavery of triangular era from Africa to India to Europe and America. Did they not shed our forefathers’ blood? MANDELA lives forever for South African Blacks. May his soul rest in peace, Amen. From Lanre Oseni.

    Dare, the issue of Mandela being member of a communist club at the time he was fighting for independence of South Africa might be true though your piece confirmed Madiba denied it a few times he was asked about membership of the group. A look back at those times reveals two contending international political groups, the Democrats predominantly Western world in membership, and the Communists led by Russia. Since Apatheid in South Africa was a British colonial weapon of suppression, backed majorly by Western countries, some freedom fighters like Mandela might be tempted to join the communist club, the opposition to Western political group, to shore up support for their struggle; a likely human tendency in such a circumstance. But if Mandela denied being a member of such a body, then his word should be taken for it, with suspicion from a few doubting Thomases, based on his clout. From LAI ASHADELE.

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Naturally, character moulding should start from the family but the family lives in a community or society. In a badly divided society, given the gap between the rich and the poor, we cannot run away from the fact that prudence in the Machiavellian sense is what appeals to the average man. How do we harmonize the internal sense of what is good and bad with some of the external factors that make survival the basic law everywhere? If the society is unjust, can the individual be just? The dillemma is that you cannot change society if you don’t change man. From Adegoke O O, Ikhin, Edo State.

    There isn’t anything special in the OBJ’s letter. Its simply vintage Obasanjo. During his regime, a minister could even sell the whole nation with Obasanjo lookin the other way so long such minister continued to do his bidding. But disagree with him, then you can be sure he would send EFCC to you as though he never knew you were corrupt. Then the undiscerning Nigerians would hail him for fighting coruption, whereas he knew exactly what he was doing. To me, the remark Jonathan made in praise of Mandela together with his refusal to be dictated to by OBJ are the two major reasons for that letter. Such letter, we know, couldn’t have been written in the first place, had Jonathan allowed him to continue ruling the country by proxy, even if his administration was to be worse than what it is presently.That’s the angle we should look at the Obasanjo’s letter to understand exactly where he is actualy coming from, the weighty content of the letter notwithstanding. From Emmanuel Egwu

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    It is good that Obasanjo made the letter public himself. Is he not the man that foisted on Nigerians the lethargic Yar’Adua and Jonathan through a sham election? Do not expect an illegal government to tackle corruption, provide light, fight unemployment, guarantee security, ensure infrastructural development. Now Obasanjo wants to bring either Lamido or Babangida Aliyu in 2015 and that is why these two have not defected to APC. More troubles ahead for PDP as Obasanjo is now set to enlist more foot soldiers against a corrupt, rudderless and visionless government of Jonathan who has refused to do his bidding. From Samuel B/C

    Why are you people from some section of the country writing against Jonathan? Is it because he is not the member of APC? Please I want you to write about the leaders of APC because they too have their own shortcomings. Your views may not be the views of Nigeria. Anonymous

    There are two leaders worthy of immitating in Nigeria for their honesty, transparency and concern. President Obasanjo and Govenor Muazu Babangida Aliyu. The ball has been set rolling; it is left for our president, emirs and the National Assembly to take action before the wind of change catch up with us……From Mallam. S. Doma.

    Obasanjo vs Jonathan: Obasanjo should leave Jonathan alone. If he can’t advise him, he should stop heating the polity. During his tenure, has he forgotten what he did in Odi, in Bayelsa and in other places? We are celebrating Mandela today. Mandela had the chance to do more than two tenures, but did one and said ‘No‘ to tenure elongation. He should keep quiet if he can’t give useful advice to him. Akeju Emmanuel, Benin-city.

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re: Nigeria’s many managers. It is not all the time that ASUU is right in its obduracy. The manner it was going, it might overtake our NLC. Why? The government respects the teachers too much. And respect should beget respect. There was no way N1.6trn could be dropped at a go as ASUU wanted initially. ASUU wanted to be paid the five months of ‘workless’ period! And is that what the students are being taught; that they could be paid without working? To me, if they are eventually paid such, it is fraud! My economics mentioned productivity and not redundancy. I suggested to a professor friend, ‘Go on phased payments, which resolved the hitch eventually. In a deadlock like that, what did our traditional rulers do? And past heads of state, in concrete terms? However, all said and done, two of the arms of government – legislature and the executive- need to cut sizeably their pay and expenses borne by the government. If done, there is enough to fund our tertiary institutions. From Lanre Oseni.

    May God replenish you for nourishing my soul over the year with your insightful and intellectual articles. Thank you so much , Tunji. From Dennis Tuedor, Ughelli, Delta State.

    I agree with you that many people are not asking for their right. The problem is that the oppressed lack class consciousness in a class society. That is why they have decided to wait for divine intervention. Yes, it is another name for fatalism. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna.

    In regard to columns 1 and 3 of your ‘Nigeria’s many managers’, may I note that your in-house man, Wordsworth, says the phrase Is simply ‘white elephant(s) and the dictionary says so. And you may also wish to confirm the difference between bother and border (on). Anonymous

    Chief Wike was behind the prolonged ASUU strike because he left his responsibility as supervising minister of education to join issues with Governor Amaechi over his (Wike’s) governorship ambition when he should be thinking of solution to the ASUU strike. President Jonathan should fire Wike now to save the education sector as well as allow him concentrate on his ambition. No one should take Nigerians for granted. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

  • EFCC invites Kano Speaker, 10 others

    EFCC invites Kano Speaker, 10 others

    •It’s absurd, says Kwankwaso

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday in Kano invited the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Gambo Sallau, with 10 principal officers.

    The invitation letter, dated December 23, was signed by EFCC’s Head of Operations in Kano.

    In the letter, the commission explained that it was investigating a case, in which the affected lawmakers featured.

    The letter, which was addressed to the Clerk, who was also among those invited, requested him to release the members for interview.

    The letter listed the affected officers as Gambo Sallau (Speaker), Isiyaku Ali Danja(Deputy Speaker), Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip and the Majority Leader.

    The rest were Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman Committee on Appropriation, Chairman Committee on Finance and Clerk of the House.

    A source at the EFCC, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the affected officers have been moved to Abuja.

    But, Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso said the officials were arrested in connection with the budget amendment.

    The governor said the lawmakers are only exercising their constitutional responsibilities of ensuring that budgets are properly articulated.

    “It is clear that the officials were arrested on orders from above, because of their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “This action is obviously to intimidate and cow them into submission for choosing to move to the progressive fold.

    “This action is not only despicable and absurd but also capable of igniting crisis in the polity,” he added.

    According to the governor, it is regrettable that the EFCC is allowing itself to be used as a tool of witch-hunting.

  • Guilty or not guilty?

    Guilty or not guilty?

    • President Jonathan’s silence on Oduah’s bullet-proof cars scandal implies presidential complicity

    Just as Nigerians were beginning to think that the Stella Oduah bullet-proof car scandal had, like some other scandals before it, died a natural death, the House of Representatives has resurrected the matter. The House, last Thursday, endorsed the seven recommendations of its committee on aviation, chaired by Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, a Peoples Democratic Party legislator from Abia State, which investigated the scandal. The House had asked the committee to look into the matter about two months ago. It is gratifying that it has come this far and has finally asked President Goodluck Jonathan to review the minister’s appointment.

    We agree largely with the House recommendations. As it noted, the minister overreached herself by approving an expenditure of over N643million for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the purchase of 54 vehicles, including two bullet-proof cars at a whopping N255million. Her approval limit is N100million. In line with the House position, the Ministry of Aviation should terminate all the transactions relating to the bullet-proof cars, first because they were not appropriated by the National Assembly, and also because due process was not followed in the procurement.

    The House further recommended administrative sanctions against the former acting Director-General of the NCAA, Nkemakolam Joyce, and the Director of Finance, Mr. S. Ozigi, “in accordance with the Civil Service Rules for deliberately breaching the Appropriation Act, 2013, and other extant laws of the federation.” It asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to move in and ascertain the involvement of people and corporate organisations in possible commission of crime and take appropriate measures to recover whatever the taxpayer might have lost to the unauthorised procurements.

    For a matter that broke about two months ago, it was expected that some progress must have been made on it if the government is truly serious about fighting corruption. Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan threw a spanner in the works at a point it seemed we were making progress by setting up a parallel panel to look into the matter, after the House of Representatives had taken the initiative to set up one. Now that the House has concluded its assignment and made recommendations to the president, he has no excuse not to act on the matter. This is much more so that the committee he set up himself on the matter had since submitted its report.

    We do not know why President Jonathan should be having problems handling this matter. And if he is, he should take a cue from the Ghanaian government which sacked the country’s deputy communications minister, Victoria Hammah, for allegedly saying on audio tape that she would not quit politics until she has made $1million. The minister was sacked in the heat of the Oduah scandal. Hammah had not even committed the crime; but she was removed for merely contemplating it. The Ghanaian government did not go in circles; it did not engage in the rigmarole of setting up any committee. It just handed the minister a sack promptly.

    Like Oduah, Hammah is a pretty woman. Like Oduah, she also reportedly contributed immensely to the incumbent Ghanaian leader’s electoral success. Yet, this did not stop the government from firing her for contemplating a crime.

    President Jonathan must be compelled to say something on the Oduah scandal. Several other corruption-related scandals had been swept under the carpet by this government; this must not be allowed to go the same way. Nigerians must keep it perpetually on the front burner of national discourse, until the government makes its position known on it.

    The minister’s reaction that the House had a ‘hidden agenda’ on the scandal is bunkum. But we do not blame her; she would not have had the temerity to say that if the president had done his job in accordance with his oath of office.

  • EFCC to quiz Kano Speaker, 10 others

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Monday invited the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Gambo Sallau, alongside 10 other principal officers for interrogation.

    The invitation letter, dated, Monday, December 23, 2013 was signed by the EFCC’s Head of Operations in Kano, Ishaq Salihu, copy of which was made available to reporters in Kano.

    The commission explained that it is investigating a case, in which the lawmakers featured prominently.

    The letter, which was addressed to the Clerk of the House, who was also among those invited, requested him to release the members for the interview.

    ‘’In view of this, you are requested to release them (officers) to be interviewed by the under signed at No. 2 Hajj Camp Road, Kano today, December 23, 2013 by 10:00 am prompt,” the letter said.

    The letter with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/KNZ/EG/TA/VOL.10/123 listed the affected officers as: Alhaji Gambo Sallau, Speaker, Isiyaku Ali Danja, Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip and the Majority Leader.

    The rest were Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Chairman Committee on Finance and Clerk of the House.

    A reliable source at the EFCC in Kano, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that all the affected officers have been moved to Abuja for further investigation.

     

     

  • Ajudua for trial Feb. 12 for ‘defrauding’ Bamayi of $8.395m

    Ajudua for trial Feb. 12 for ‘defrauding’ Bamayi of $8.395m

    Lagos socialite, Mr Fred Ajudua, will be arraigned before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja on February 12, 2014, for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of about $8.395 million.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC, which filed new charges against the suspect, said he would be arraigned alongside others with whom he allegedly committed the crime between November 2004 and June 2005.

    The fresh charges against Ajudua and others, dated October 14, comprise 13 counts of conspiracy and fraud.

    Other suspects to be arraigned Ajudua but said to be at large are: Alumile Adedeji (aka Ade Bendel), a man simply identified Mr Keneth and Princess Hamabon William.

    The EFCC alleged that Ajudua and the other suspects allegedly defrauded Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, where he and other suspects were on remand for fraud also alleged that the suspects fraudulently collected the money from Bamaiyi, falsely claiming that it was part of the professional fees charged by a legal luminary to facilitate his release from prison.

    The anti-graft agency also alleged that Ajudua and the others fraudulently claimed that $1 million of the money collected from Bamaiyi was for financial assistance to treat Justice Olubunmi Oyewole’s father.

    The suspects were said to have told Bamaiyi that Oyewole’s father was admitted at St. Nicholas in Lagos and that $1 million was needed to assist the judge for the medical expenses of his father.

    Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter till February 12, 2014 for the arraignment.

     

  • EFCC: we can’t meet our obligations

    EFCC: we can’t meet our obligations

    •Agency has less than N2m in its kitty

    The Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday lamented that its operations are being hampered by lack of funds.

    The commission’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Adegboyega spoke at a public hearing on the bill to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency (NFIA) organised by Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes in Abuja.

    Adegboyega said the poor financial position of the EFCC was made known to the Senate committee during its oversight visit to the agency.

    He said the anti-graft agency was cash-strapped to the extent that, at the present, it has less than N2 million in its account.

    He said: “I could recollect when the committee paid an oversight visit we did make our financial position known to the committee that as at now EFCC do not have N2 million in its accounts.

    “We have been complaining that no money has been released for us for operations. As at now we don’t have up to N2 million.

    “If we can afford to pay salary this month (December), that is all. That is the position under which we operate.”

    The EFCC secretary also opposed the Bill which seeks to establish the NFIA as an independent financial intelligence agency.

    He claimed that the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) currently domiciled within the EFCC was discharging its responsibility efficiently without complaints from financial institutions.

    He said if granted an autonomous status, the FIU would become exposed to desperate politicians who are capable of securing court injunctions to frustrate EFCC’s operations.

    He said: “All the (existing) FIU needs is adequate funding to continue its work. This bill (NFIA) is unnecessary and should be jettisoned.”

    The Director, Legal Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Amusa Ogundana, who represented the CBN Governor, supported the establishment of NFIA.

    Ogundana, however, suggested that Section 6(g) of the NFIA Bill should be deleted because it imposed supervisory and regulatory functions on the agency.

    He criticised the “supervisory” function provided for in Section 6(g) of the proposed Bill, saying it is in breach of the Money Laundering Act.

    He said: “CBN is wholeheartedly in support of having this bill sail through. We believe it will strengthen the administrative and operational performance of the agency.”

    Representative of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Joseph Sunday, noted that the FIU as presently structured lacked a legal status.

    Sunday, who is the NDLEA Director of Prosecution Services, said the agency supported the bill because it would empower the FIU to effectively disseminate financial intelligence to law enforcement agencies.

    Similarly, Mrs Blessing Egbefor, representing the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said the bill, when passed into law, would strengthen the fight against financial crimes.

    She said: “NAPTIP supports the bill, so that the FIU can discharge its administrative and operational functions with greater autonomy.”

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), State Security Services (SSS), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) were among the agencies that supported the Bill.

    Earlier, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Senator Victor Lar, urged the stakeholders to ensure that their inputs were in the national interest.

     

    Lar said: “In the National Assembly, we are driven only by national interest and considerations. Not individual and parochial interests.

    “You should make contributions that would serve the national interest.”

     

  • Redeeming Bode George

    Redeeming Bode George

    Congratulations to Chief Bode George, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwig and jailed former Chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), who has apparently succeeded in shedding the stigma of prison following a Supreme Court verdict quashing his 2009 conviction and 30 months imprisonment by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja. It must be joy unspeakable for him, considering the snide remarks he most likely had to cope with on account of his prison history, especially in the dirty game of politics. Now he can do a swagger in public without restraint or embarrassment. He can proudly reject the tag, “ex-convict”.

    With him on the soul train are five former members of the board, Aminu Dabo, an architect, Captain Oluwasegun Abidoye, Alhaji Abdulahi Aminu Tafida, Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe and Sule Aliyu, an engineer, who were also discharged and acquitted.

    George and four others were arraigned in 2008 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 163-count charge of conspiracy, disobedience to lawful order, abuse of office and alleged illegal award of contracts worth N84 billion while he was NPA chairman between 2001 and 2003. During the trial, the EFCC reduced the charge to 63 counts, and the judge found the defendants guilty on 47counts. Specifically, they were found guilty of exceeding the limit for award of contracts, splitting contracts in order to bring them within the limit, and inflating contracts. In other words, they were sanctioned for official corruption, that monstrosity which many observers have identified as the bane of the country. It is noteworthy that as prison inmates, George and his colleagues enjoyed the V.I.P. section, were excused from wearing prison uniforms, and had access to meals prepared by their families, which smacked of corruption.

    Even more remarkable, and reflective of corruption of another kind, was the lavish celebration that greeted his 2011 release from Kirikiri Prison, Lagos, which was nauseating to the public. George, 68, claimed that his trial and imprisonment were consequences of a conspiracy by his enemies. With his clearance by the Supreme Court, it is predictable that the flamboyant retired naval officer would arrange a church thanksgiving service and throw a party, all to make a statement.

    It is interesting that they took their battle for redemption as far as the Supreme Court, suggesting that they were convinced about the supposed injustice of their conviction and sentencing. Well, they could afford the services of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Kanu Agabi and Joseph Daudu, and they obviously couldn’t live with the shameful stain, given their social standing. Just a thought: What if the apex court had affirmed the correctness of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which had endorsed the initial High Court ruling? What a horrible thought!

    It may well be that by overturning their conviction and imprisonment, the Supreme Court, perhaps inadvertently, not only saved them from deadly depression but also prevented their descent into suicidal psychosis. It is even possible that the latest ruling will energise them beyond their years.

    However, there is ironically something to be sad about. Central to the exculpatory judgement were the arguments that the prosecution failed to establish the guilt of the appellants and that contract splitting was not unlawful at the time of the alleged offence. In the words of the court: “Contract splitting, which formed the basis of the offences charged, was unknown to law at the material time. The Public Procurement Act, which made contract splitting an offence punishable with term of imprisonment, was enacted into law by the National Assembly in 2007, long after the appellants had ceased to be members of the NPA.”

    George and others were probably ahead of society’s consciousness of the infinite possibilities of contract award.