EFCC Cannot Probe Lamorde For Corruption, Reps Insist...See Why

 

The House of Representatives made its case against the order for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde for alleged non-remittance of recovered funds worth over N1trn into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

 

The House of Reps members said such an order would counter proper reasoning as it is very impossible for the commission to investigate its own properly.

 

The lawmakers who were visibly angry said EFCC cannot be 'judge in its own case' and therefore demanded that the case be taken away from the EFCC in order to guarantee 'a thorough and proper investigation'. 

 

They EFCC boss is accused of diverting money and other recovered assets as against the requirement of law that such assets should be remitted to the government. 

 

The House called on the the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Abdullahi Yola, to re-assign the investigation to either the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission or the Nigeria Police in order to guard against possible interference by the EFCC chairman.

 

The Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor, on Tuesday raised the issue under matters of urgent public importance to draw the attention of members to the “anomaly” in allowing the EFCC to conduct an investigation into its own case.

 

Ogor argued, “The principle of fair hearing is provided for in the 1999 Constitution. The EFCC is the one accused in this case for non-remittance of N1tn and other recovered assets to the Consolidated Fund of the Federation. “Will the EFCC investigate an allegation leveled against its chairman by itself or for breaching Section 31 of its own Act? In conducting this investigation, the Chairman of the EFCC and other members of the commission will be involved too. The commission cannot be a judge in its own case.”