Court orders preventing us from probing corruption cases in 10 states – EFCC

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that court orders are preventing the Commission from investigating corruption cases in 10 states.

Olukoyede made this disclosure at the 6th EFCC/National Judicial Institute, NJI, capacity-building workshop for justices and judges on Monday in Abuja.

The theme of the workshop was ‘Integrating stakeholders in curbing economic and financial crimes’.

However, the EFCC chairman did not mention the 10 states.

According to him, there is a need for synergy between anti-graft agencies and the judiciary in the fight against corruption.

The EFCC boss further stated that the commission is battling the issues of frequent adjournments of high-profile cases and conflicting court orders in the prosecution of corruption.

“In spite of the energy and commitment of our judges in resolving corruption cases across the country and measures such as practice direction and designation of courts and judges to hear corruption matters, there are still some areas of concern that need to be addressed urgently.

“The spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the commission’s leadership, and undue reliance on technicality in deciding serious corruption cases, unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the commission from investigating graft cases, are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC, which should be on the table for frank conversations over the next two days.

“The incidence of suspects facing criminal investigation rushing to court to obtain orders of injunction restraining the commission from inviting, investigating, interrogating, and arresting them, including some state governments, has become rampant and worrisome,” he stated.