EFCC secures 312 convictions in 2018

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday it has secured 312 convictions between January and December 24, 2018.

It said the rate of convictions was “undoubtedly a significant improvement from the 189 convictions in 2017”.

The commission said the convictions were secured in all its 11 zonal offices nationwide.

Acting Head of Media and Publicity Mr. Tony Orilade gave the breakdown in an appraisal statement in Abuja.

The statement said: “The record of convictions cuts across the various offices of the EFCC with Lagos securing 85 convictions, Abuja (53), followed by Kano with 36. Port Harcourt secured 33 convictions, Gombe recorded 28; Benin had 27; Enugu (15); Maiduguri (11); Ibadan (10); Uyo (eight), and Kaduna (six).

“More significantly is that it includes the conviction of two Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) – Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye, a serving senator and a former governor of Plateau State. Both are currently serving jail terms at Kuje Prison.

“A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike, who has been stripped of the highly revered legal title, was also convicted for perverting the course of justice.”

The statement gave update on the status of the jail terms of the two ex-governors.

It added: “Dariye and Nyame, who were sentenced to 14 years in prison, had approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the “guilty” verdict handed down on them by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu presided over by Justice Adebukola Banjoko. “However, while upholding their convictions, the Appellate Court commuted Dariye’s jail term to 10 years, and that of Nyame to 12 years with a fine of  N495 million.”