How Malami Will Escape Justice Like Other Rich Criminals
How Malami Will Escape Justice Like Other Rich Criminals, By Bayo Oluwasanmi
The rich criminals use their power, money, and influence to create shields against prosecution. Ironically, they are protected by the very systems designed to hold them accountable. The system allows them to negotiate, return part of stolen money, and totally avoid jail which allows for continued impunity.
Justice is supposed to be blind. But not in Nigeria. Our criminal justice system has systemic flaws that disproportionately punish poor Nigerians and reward the crooked rich. We have discrepancies in bail, discrepancies in prosecution, and discrepancies in sentencing.
The rich criminals use their power, money, and influence to create shields against prosecution. Ironically, they are protected by the very systems designed to hold them accountable. The system allows them to negotiate, return part of stolen money, and totally avoid jail which allows for continued impunity.
Nigeria is a unique country. Here, the poor who steal to survive are severely punished, while rogue politicians who steal future education, health, infrastructure, jobs, pensions, security, etc., are always re-elected. Unfair standards for Malami and other rich crooks in the Nigerian criminal justice system is encompassing and endemically pervasive. These group of people move with surprising comfort and unbelievable ease through the corrupt criminal justice system.
The corruption case of the former attorney general of Nigeria Abubakar Malami, will go the same way high profile criminal cases went: He will go scot-free! Here’s how Malami will escape justice like other rich criminals. Malami has the money, the power, and political influence to hire a team of the best Senior Advicates of Nigeria (SAN). Malami has the religious and political connections to dodge, delay, and derail accountability because there’s nothing like accountability in our system. Malami has the financial power to delay or outrightly escape consequences of his criminal activities.
The phrase “Equal justice under the law,” should have an asterisk next to it with the caveat “unless you’re a rich crook and a corrupt politician.” Malami as a wealthy crook can influence laws, while prosecutors and judges might be swayed by fame or power. With lots of money, Malami can buy witnesses. He can buy the judge. He can buy anything that will stop him from going to jail.
Malami can afford to hire expensive lawyers who can dedicate significant time and resources. He can pay cash bail to stay out of jail, whereas poor defendants often remain incarcerated. Our criminal justice system creates a two-tiered justice. The corrupt wealthy politicians and crooked public officials buy a better defense and freedom. As a rich criminal, Malami is less likely to serve prison time for the same offenses as poor Nigerians. Poor Nigerians get harsher treatment and a lengthy jail term.
The rich crooks and affluent criminals like Malami can drag the trial long enough to divert the spotlight off themselves. It will help them escape scrutiny. More importantly, they can negotiate more favorable outcomes like reduced penalties and jail terms. They can file motions, and motions, and motions as delay tactics. They can file a motion to exclude a certain piece of evidence or to exclude a certain witness, thereby strengthening their case. The advantage of the crooked rich in delaying and derailing trials runs counter to the principle of equal justice before the law.
At the end of a prolonged show of a meaningless trial, nothing, absolutely nothing, will happen to Malami. Malami will be set free. It is the Malamis of the world that undermine public trust and obstruct justice in Nigeria. A country without justice will never know peace, progress, and prosperity.
bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com
