April 12, 2010
William L. Richey, the American lawyer who led the investigation and prosecution of the Nigerian 419 fraudsters who defrauded a Brazilian bank of over two hundred and forty million dollars a few years ago, has rejected the criticism of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the alleged impropriety of the commission in the disposal of the forfeited assets and the return of the stolen proceeds to the victims. In a letter to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, dated 12 April 2010, Mr. Richey described the criticism of the commission and its former chieftains, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu and Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, as being “totally without merit.”
He wrote: “The criticisms are being levied by the very criminals who were successfully prosecuted and who, in the end, admitted their guilt in open court,” and that the confessed lead fraudster, Emmanuel Nwude agreed to repay $120 million as part of his guilty plea.
He pointed out that Mr. Nwude has defaulted on his agreement with the court and is seeking to delay the ultimate forfeiture to the victims of the stolen proceeds through his unprincipled abuse of the appellate process in Nigerian courts. “This allegation is made though he knows full well that the EFCC, upon the insistence of Mr. Ribadu, played absolutely no part in the disposal of the assets,” he said.
He also expressed outrage that persons such as Mr. Nwude are being given any credence by the current authorities in the EFCC.
“Mr. Ribadu and Mr. Lamorde are national treasures of Nigeria,” Mr. Richey assured Mr. Jonathan. “They bring honour to the country and are regarded with warmth, admiration and respect by legitimate law enforcement agencies in the United States and around the world.”
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