The EFCC says it is bothered that the UK anti-corruption agency, which had earlier claimed to be investigating the former minister for possible infraction had not come up with any information on the woman, who is needed in Nigeria to defend herself of money laundering charges.
A senior EFCC official told Vanguard on Tuesday that the commission had since applied for Diezani’s repatriation but expressed disappointment that the agency had neither proceeded with her trial nor responded to its request.
The top official, who pleaded anonymity, said: “We have applied to the UK authorities, who have been coming here and going and told them to release the former minister for us if they cannot try her.
“But to our greatest shock and disappointment, they are not saying anything to us. They have been telling us that they are still investigating the woman for over four years while we are ready with our charges against her.
The dilemma of EFCC stems from last week’s threat by a judge of the Federal High Court to dismiss the 13-count money laundering and corruption charges preferred against her by the EFCC, which has however not been able to extradite her from the UK, where she has been staying since leaving office in 2015.
The British authorities had said that they were investigating her for possible corrupt practices but appear to have lost interest in the case and given up on the matter, leaving the EFCC with no chance to bring her to have her day in court over allegations of graft levelled against her.
On November 12, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had ordered the EFCC to either produce Diezani in court at the next adjourned date of March 10, 2020, or get the case struck out.
“My docket is not going to be a waiting room for the prosecution,” the judge warned, adding, “I will give you one more adjournment. If nothing happens on the next date, I will strike it out.
Since EFCC filed the 13-count charge against the former minister in November 2018, the agency has not been able to bring her to court.
The agency had accused her of using her position as minister to siphon money and use the same to acquire choice property valued at hundreds of millions of Naira, which it describes as proceeds of crime.
From Vanguard
They will drag this case till everybody forgets about it."this is Nigeria "
ReplyDeleteMtcheew
ReplyDeleteAbi, since
ReplyDeleteUK the centre of corruption
ReplyDeleteGbam...You are dead right
DeleteThey have compromised,they kept her there for are to escape prosecution and waiting for Buhari's defeat in last election thinking Atiku will give her pardon. They love the fact the stolen money is in their own bank.
DeleteVery unserious agency.
ReplyDeleteHmmm this woman ran to UK, am sure she's probably eating seafood or garnished chicken thigh or shaki as she's reading this news!!!
ReplyDeleteClearly UK doesn’t take your government seriously. You think they function like you, wake up one morning and start arresting and detaining people without a shred of evidence. When you bring evidence to them that she was a part of anything illegal then they can probably take you seriously but why should she honor your invitation for questioning when she was a staff, question her boss. Why should they waste their resources investigating someone for crimes done in a still grossly corrupt society?
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have not be following her case. They picked her up gave her bail since 2015 and refused to continue her case or send her back.
DeleteThe British government is an accomplice that is why they don't want to extradite her
ReplyDeleteThe UK government is broke and will KEEP any money bag that they can. Unlike Ibori, she doesn't have a UK criminal history so they will do anything to keep her and her money. Dirty people.
ReplyDelete