ARISE NEWS Analyst, Sam Amadi, has blamed weak investigations and poor prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allowing suspected criminals to evade justice, while insisting that former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke should return to Nigeria to face any criminal charges against her following her acquittal in the United Kingdom.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Amadi argued that although Diezani’s acquittal on bribery charges in the UK does not automatically prevent Nigerian authorities from prosecuting her on different offences supported by credible evidence, any future prosecution must be built on proper investigations rather than public sentiment.
“It’s not good for national development, for justice that criminals escape because of poor investigation or great learning. And it’s also good that some people are not criminals are found guilty based on perception and public opinion.”
Amadi said the UK’s acquittal stemmed from the prosecution’s inability to present sufficient evidence before a jury. “This case was prosecuted by the Crime Prosecution Service on the evidence supplied by the National Crime Agency, which worked in collaboration with Nigeria EFCC, a kind of investigation arm for serious offences, cartels, you know, serious fraud in the UK. Again, on five counts charge of bribery and one count charge of conspiracy to bribe.”
According to him, the jury was unconvinced by the evidence presented and ultimately acquitted Diezani on the bribery charges. “The key point here is she was acquitted the trial jury says no, we can’t convict this woman we’re not convinced and she’s off.”
Amadi explained that the acquittal does not amount to a declaration of innocence on every allegation that has ever been made against the former minister. “We have a right to try her on the same facts, on the same charge the issue of double jeopardy comes in But of course, she can go on trial for other, you know, charges related to her office.”
He emphasised that although Nigeria could still pursue criminal proceedings. “I would argue that you shouldn’t charge her based on reciprocity, on the same fact of bribery related to the same transaction. So, if there are other evidence, evidence for other charges, similar related charges, they are free to charge.”
Amadi criticised the quality of investigations conducted by the EFCC. “It speaks to also metadominative prosecution. So if you’re going to investigate and then you can’t turn in the evidence, and then the evidence, you know, it’s not, and the accused person says, you took away everything. It speaks to shoddiness in the way, the failure in that prosecution relates to also to the failure of the EFCC investigation.”
According to him, the failure to secure convictions in high-profile corruption cases reflects broader institutional weaknesses that ultimately undermine justice. “The EFCC has not won any real case apart from clerks of civil servants this goes to the quality of EFCC’s evidence-gathering, investigative capability.”
“not good for national development, for justice that criminals escape because of poor investigation or great learning.”
Amadi argued that justice is not served when guilty persons walk free because prosecutors fail to build strong cases. “The whole criminal prosecution process is to filter out what is fact from fiction and to look at evidence that is probative enough to establish the facts that connect a crime.”
On whether Diezani should now return to Nigeria, Amadi said she has a moral obligation to come back and answer any criminal allegations against her. “The right thing would be to step into the country, now that you’re free from the UK She needs to come back home and prove her innocence.”
He noted that Nigerian law also provides mechanisms for prosecuting defendants who remain outside the country.
“There is also provision for trial of persons in absentia if EFCC files a case against her, she can be convicted in absentia.”
Amadi said he does not believe the current administration would subject Diezani to political persecution if she returned. “I don’t think they’re going to be a victim of a large-scale criminal persecution. I think they’re going to give her a fair trial.”
He also attributed much of the intense public hostility towards the former minister to factors beyond corruption allegations, including gender, personality and public perception. “To be fair to Diezani, clearly, she is an infuriating figure when she was in government. A female, maybe sure of herself, has a pedigree. When she was there, she probably blocked off so many males. So she’s going to be this kind of, there’s something in the social imagination about her, that, ‘oh, this woman who was so powerful, this woman who did everything, we want to see her humbled.’ So she made that case that she has always, you know, stand out in male-dominated areas, and that excites envy.”
According to him, Diezani became an unusually controversial figure because of the way she exercised authority in government, creating what he described as social animus. “She is an infuriating figure when she was in government her gender, her personality, and the way she carried herself in office, creates a public social animus, towards her.”
While acknowledging that corruption has long plagued successive Nigerian governments, Amadi argued that Diezani should not be singled out as uniquely culpable without proof. “Nigerian government have historically been corrupt. So she does not really stand out as the most corrupt person, either in that government or that government, or even today’s government.”
He said improving investigative standards and prosecutorial efficiency would strengthen Nigeria’s fight against corruption far more than relying on public outrage. “We need to be very clear that we’re establishing prosecutorial service like the UK, that we’re staffed, we’re manned by professionals. CPS, even though it has problems, has been very good in terms of having professionals. So we need to be clear around the efficiency of prosecution.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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