CECILIA IBRU: WHAT MANNER OF SENTENCE?

When I read those appreciating the sentence handed out to the former Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank PLC, I feel nauseated. In all contents of the judgment, Nigerians who want to see the nation reduce in her rating list of corrupt nations, wish to state that the sentence fell too short of expectations. This has also given credence to the fact that we have no judiciary or any really active anti-graft agency.

Where on earth could this type of sentence be accepted? A woman who corruptly acquired wealth put at over N800billion was only allowed to forfeit N190billion out of that? To add salt to injury the judiciary gave her only six months in a VIP hospital ‘prison’ where a room costs N90, 000 per night.

This is a woman who headed a financial institution that asked the public to subscribe to increase the bank’s share capital and it was over-subscribed. In turn she arranged her one time nanny as a front and got bank facility of N25billion, which has now been written off. This is the financial institution where an uncle of mind requested a loan of only N5million to carry on legitimate business that could have employed workers; instead of granting this, he was asked to bring his landed property which he did, yet the facility was not approved. Probably they wanted him to bring his dead parents as additional collateral. Many genuine applicants have been sent to their early grave due to attitude of the likes of Cecilia Ibru; persons like her, should be regarded as ‘murderers’.

And concerning our anti-graft agency (EFCC): This is headed by a woman who had insisted that she regretted the plea bargain of the former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, and that she would never allow such again. In the case of Siemens and Halliburton: The same Farida Waziri has accepted plea-bargains from Julius Berger, and still waiting for more to come. She removed the name of former Head of State, Abdulsalami, etc from prosecution list.

One thing for sure: When the impending Rawlings-like revolution comes, it is likely to sweep away all those corrupt people that are being shielded including those judiciary and anti-graft agencies’ minders that comprise glaring to the detriment of the ordinary Nigerians.

Dr. Jerome Jiga, Shehu Close, Zaria, Kaduna State.