Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday revealed why
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was losing some cases.
Obasanjo believes that the EFCC was losing cases due to its
failure to engage what he called “staunch ogbologbo lawyer,” stressing that
most of the lawyers employed were outsiders.
He made the remark in response to a charge by President
Muhammadu Buhari to the anti-graft agency to stop losing cases.
Speaking in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the former
President said, “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. “
By Seun Opejobi
