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EFCC, ICPC warn prolonged court processes are slowing the fight against corruption.
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Anti-graft chiefs blame frivolous applications and excessive judicial discretion.
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Call grows for time-bound trials, similar to election petition cases.
Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have expressed concern over persistent delays in the trial of high-profile corruption cases across Nigeria’s courts.
They warned that prolonged proceedings weaken the country’s anti-corruption drive and delay justice.
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EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu spoke in Abuja during the ninth meeting of the Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO), established by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to track corruption and financial crime cases.
Olukoyede lamented what he described as the liberal exercise of judicial discretion in some sensitive cases, noting that the frequent consideration of frivolous applications often prolongs trials and undermines efforts to secure timely justice.
Aliyu, on his part, proposed the introduction of a practice direction to guide courts handling corruption cases nationwide.
He suggested that such trials should be time-bound, similar to election petitions, to ensure speedy determination.
The ICPC chairman cited examples from Kenya and Zambia, where practice directions prescribe specific timelines for corruption trials.
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He urged the committee to strengthen mechanisms that would enhance standards in criminal prosecution and promote consistency in applying judicial principles.
