Money laundering, a sophisticated crime, says Bawa

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has described money laundering as a very sophisticated crime that every nation must keep an eye on because of its effect on the economy.

Bawa made the statement at a two-day workshop on developing a robust anti-corruption and anti-money laundering landscape in Nigeria organised by the Attorney General Alliance-Africa Programme (AGA-Africa) in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Lagos.

Represented at the workshop by EFCC council, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Bawa added that although money laundering is a global phenomenon, its degree of effect differs from country to country, and the anti-money laundering act seeks to make it harder for launderers to hide their profit of crime.

Also speaking at the workshop, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN) said the removal of the stay of trial in the new Administration of Criminal Justice act is good as it removes time wasting in criminal trials.

He further suggested that trials and trial within trial should be taken at the same time so as to further reduce the duration of trials.

Other speakers at the workshop include the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan; Director General of the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), Malawi Dr. Jean Phillipo-Priminta; Dr. Anthony Idigbe (SAN); Prof. Dayo Ayoade; Dr. Esa Okibe Onoja; Mr. Todd Turnbleson; Mr. Markus Green; Dr. Olajide Bello; Dr. Ibe Okegbe Ifeakandu; Mr Mac Atom and Mr. Mike Igini.