Anti-graft war: Auta stresses need for EFCC, judiciary’s collaboration

By Oscarline Onwuemenyi

ABUJA – The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, yesterday stressed the need for collaboration between the judiciary and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the fight against corruption in the country.

Auta, who was speaking during a visit to the Chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, in her office in Abuja, placed the blame for the delay in trial of corruption cases on the Commission’s constant amendment to proffered charges.

According to the CJ, the incessant amendments to charges filed by the anti-graft commission and too many charges in one case which take the whole day for the accused to take a plea among other such actions amount to “dancing in one spot.”

Confirming that judiciary system is slow because of provisions in the Nigerian Constitution, the Chief Judge said: “One thing that also delays cases is this issue of amendment. Any time you amend a charge, the court will have to start all over again.”

Speaking earlier at the meeting, the EFCC Chairman acknowledged the pivotal role of the judiciary in the nation’s anti-graft war, even as she noted that all the efforts by EFCC at fighting graft would have amounted to nought without the support of the judiciary since crime fighting and sentencing go hand in hand.

She said: “If not for the support of the Judiciary, the Commission will not be boasting of a record of over 600 convictions and recovery of over $11 billion.

She, however, regretted that high profile cases being prosecuted by the EFCC were lagging in courts due to the long procedures of the open courts.”