The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been accused of making use of lawyers who are not well versed in anti-corruption matters which has cost the agency a lot.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was losing some top cases in court.
Obasanjo attributed the failure of the EFCC to its inability to use what he called “staunch ogbologbo lawyer,” as he said the lawyers employed by the anti-corruption agency were outsiders.
The former President said this while speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“I was reading today when the President (Muhammadu Buhari) said the EFCC should stop losing cases. They lose cases for a number of reasons.
“One, they engage more of outside lawyers. I believe that they need staunch, `ogbologbo’ lawyers inside that will do the work.
“If I am a lawyer and I want the opponent to win a case, what I will file will be `wishy washy’. And if I file a `wishy washy’ case, the opponent will see the loophole and he will get out of it. I believe that it is important.
“Secondly, thorough investigation is very important. Now, investigation must be thorough, it must be proper and it must be really taken seriously.
“Third, our judges must be committed in fighting corruption.
“They must be committed to fighting corruption. Because if the investigation is very sound and you have `ogbologbo’ lawyer to handle the case, if you have Salamigate, you know what the answer will be.
“So it is a line: investigation, prosecution and the judiciary. If there is weakness along this line, chances are that corruption cases will continue to be lost." Obasanjo explained.