Acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has said that the commission has already secured three convictions in 2019, which he described as a good start.
A press statement by EFCC acting Spokesperson, Tony Orilade, on Thursday in Abuja, said that the commission boss, while on a working tour to the Lagos office, yesterday vowed that, “the commission shall continue to rid the country of economic and financial crimes and effectively coordinate the domestic efforts of the global fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.
“With 312 convictions in 2018, we are strategising to double our effort in 2019, as part of our concerted efforts aimed at ensuring that the negative narrative of pervasive corruption in the system is changed for the better, and the perception that some persons are above the law, remains altered.”
Orilade explained that Justice D. Z. Senchi of the FCT High Court, Jabi, on January 2, 2019, convicted Augustine James, and Cyrinus Valentine Richard, prosecuted on a six-count amended charge of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretenses and forgery.
They were sentenced to 14 years in jail without an option of fine.
Justice Senchi also convicted Edwin Ogbomwan aka Thomas Jerry Stars, who was prosecuted by the Advance Fee Fraud Unit of the commission and sentenced him to two months imprisonment with an option of fine of N1 million.
The convict is also to forfeit his Toyota Camry 2006 model, and iPhone X to the federal Government.
He said that, Magu stressed that the EFCC remains committed to carrying out its duties “in conformity to best international practice within the ambit of the Law”.
While commending the exemplary leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, for the success recorded in the past year, he stressed that the Judiciary remains key to winning the corruption fight.
