N3m fine for involvement in N25bn money laundering is laughable
Last week’s judgment by Justice A. M. Liman of the Federal High Court, Benin, sentencing Mr Michael Igbinedion, to a mere six years jail term, or N3 million, option of fine, for his involvement in a N25 billion money laundering charges rankles the ordinary mind. For us, and we guess many other lay people, the law surely works in mysterious ways. Indeed, the possibility of such a lowly punishment for such a serious crime, perhaps explains why for many, the law is referred to as ‘an ass’; and if we may add, probably available to be ridden by all manner of persons, as they desire. But, if that sentence is justifiable under the law, then the in-coming administration must post-haste, take steps to amend the law.
That tap on the wrist punishment, meted out to Michael, the son of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, and the brother of the former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, was for his involvement in a fraud against the government of Edo State, during the reign of his brother. In the 81-count charge of money laundering, proffered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Michael and his aide, Patrick Eboigbodin, were charged with their four companies, Messrs Gava Corporation limited, Roming Nigeria limited, PML Securities Company limited and PML Nigeria limited.
In the judgment, Patrick, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, without an option of fine, while PML Limited was to forfeit her assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and pay a fine of N250,000. Also, while Michael was found guilty on three counts, his aide was found guilty on 10 counts, out of the 81-count charges. In our lay view, the import of the judgment is that for the crime of laundering N25 billion naira, the principal accused person, Michael, would pay a mere N3 million for his freedom; even as the purse of Edo State and her people have lost the sum of N25 billion naira.
What this judgment tells us is that those who have access to humongous state resources may easily feel encouraged to steal. Indeed, it may not be far-fetched to regard the judgment of Justice Liman as incentive to those with the predilection for crime to pursue it, knowing as Michael’s case may suggest, that the consequences are not that grave. We know that many Nigerians will see that judgment as a travesty of justice, and so there is the need for the EFCC to appeal against the sentencing, if not the whole judgment.
Unfortunately, Michael Igbinedion’s judgment may not be much different from similar cases in the past, where for grand larceny many of our privileged class got away with little or no punishment. That perhaps explains why corruption, particularly the variety of looting public treasury, is very high in the country. Notably, just like his junior brother Michael, Lucky Igbinedion was also charged for grievous cases of corruption, and like his junior brother now, he also got out, on a dubious leeway of so-called plea-bargain. Again, like in the current instance, it was the common wealth of the people of Edo State that the two brothers, with proven itchy fingers, helped themselves to.
But beyond the Igbinedion brothers, there are similar charges of corruption across the country which have languished in the courts for donkey years. Many of the governors who served with Governor Igbinedion between 1999 and 2007 were also charged with one corruption case or the other. Nearly eight years after the charges against his colleagues were filed in the courts, many of those cases are still battling with preliminary applications, while the main charges have been left in limbo. As if to confer the status of un-seriousness on our criminal justice system, many of those charged with the grievous crimes have brushed the cases aside, and have enthusiastically sought fresh positions of authority, even as their earlier misdemeanours languish in courts.
Of course, as we have many times argued on this page, there is the need to re-jig our criminal justice system, if we hope to lay any claim to seriousness in the fight against corruption. As the in-coming president, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, has severally stated, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us. While some have suggested a special court to deal with corruption, others have proffered the designation of specific time, to deal with corrupt cases before a judge. Some have also suggested that our criminal procedure laws, particularly with respect to the law of evidence, be tinkered with. Luckily, the in-coming vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, is a reformist lawyer, and so should gel with our anti-corruption president, to fight the debilitating corruption that wants to kill the country.
