The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that the commission currently has at least 1,500 cases of graft allegations pending in various courts nationwide.
The figure, our investigations revealed, covers cases inherited from Nuhu Ribadu’s, tenure in addition to prosecutions filed under Mrs. Farida Waziri, the current chairman of the commission. Key among such litigations are those involving high profile Nigerians, many of whom appeared in court and thereafter, secured bail. Many of the cases span 2006 to 2011.
It was however confirmed that about 600 cases had been dispensed with, following judgments obtained in court. The least jail sentence for convicted offenders so far was 6 months, while the maximum sentence 198 years imprisonment.
The long jail sentence followed a case between the federal government and one Shobayo Olaide. He was charged for forgery and unlawful possession of falsified documents, including a cheque.
Meanwhile, some of the high profile cases either commenced by the Ribadu or Waziri regime, are still pending in courts due to bail of alleged perpetrators of fraud include, but are not limited to Chimaroke Nnamani, Roland Iyayi, Sani Lulu, and 3 others and Mr Erastmus Akingbola. Others are Rasheed Ladoja, Kenny Martins, Saminu Turaki, Joshua Dariye, Orji Uzor Kalu, James Ibori, Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, Attahiru Bafarawa, Francis Atuche and Okey Nwosu, among others.