CASE NUMBER 10883:

FORMER IGP OF POLICE IN JAIL

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Alleged Perpetrators(s)

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun a.k.a Tafa Balogun

Location (Town / State)

Abuja, Nationwide

Date of Event

23 Nov 2005

Date of republication

23 November every year

Case category (Choose all that apply)

Case Summary

Former IGP of Police Tafa Balogun holds the record as EFCC’s first conviction of a nationally prominent political figure after he was sentenced to six-months imprisonment on bribery related charges in 2005.

Full story

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, popularly known as Tafa Balogun was the Inspector General of Police from March 2002 – January 2005. He assumed the mantle of leadership at a time when the Nigerian Police Force morale was at its’ lowest ebb. He introduced proactive policing which yielded instant positive results throughout the country. Apart from enhancing its operational capabilities, he also ensured that police welfare was adequately taken care of, this was through promotions welfare insurance scheme and training. Tafa Balogun also did not take the training of officers and men of the force lightly as over 147,347 officers and men went on various courses locally between 2002 and 2004. On corruption, especially in the area of extortion, Tafa dismissed over 1,200 police officers for various acts bordering on official corruption in his thee year tenure.

However, despite these remarkable successes, the Balogun’s tale as head of the Police Force ended on a sad note. He began to run a one-man show and dabble in shady deals which led to his investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2004. He was forcefully removed from office in January 2005 when it became apparent that he was the subject of a major EFCC investigation. He was then arrested and detained at the EFCC office in Lagos before being subsequently transferred to Abuja. Tafa Balogun reportedly refused to make statement to the anti-graft undercover agents in Abuja. He was famously quoted as saying: “What do you want me to say, if I decide to say anything, this government will fall, please leave me alone.” However, upon much pressure from the EFCC operatives, he finally broke his silence and confessed to the anti-graft operatives that he knew about the t N30 million found with one of his aides, Tolu Jinadu, who the former IGP accused of betrayal of trust.

On 4th April 2005, the EFCC arraigned Tafa Balogun before Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 70-count charge involving 70 count charge involving about N13 billion over money laundering, stealing, among others. Tafa Balogun pleaded not guilty to the charges, and trial was fixed for 18th April, 2005.

During the course of the trial, Balogun was alleged to have stolen about N13 billion using eight different companies, which were either wholly owned by him or where he had interests. The companies include Yeboa Investment Limited, Caledonian Telecommunications Ltd, Renovations Constructions Ltd and Aworo Investment Ltd. Others are Olatrade Ltd, Yeboa Nigeria Ltd and Ceejay Properties Nigeria Ltd. According to the charges, Tafa Balaogun used the said N13 billion belonging to the Nigeria Police to either buy shares in blue chip companies or buy choice houses across the country, particularly in Lagos and Abuja.

The companies Balogun allegedly bought the said shares include Nigeria Breweries Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Union Bank Plc, Fountain Trust Bank and Guinness Nigeria Plc. For the landed properties, Balogun allegedly invested in the high brow Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Victoria Garden City, Victoria Island, all in Lagos and Garki, Wuse and Maitama areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Whilst the trial was on-going, the EFCC discovered fresh money offences which were committed by Balogun which included his alleged transactions with Bond Bank Limited and his refusal to disclose his interest in the purchase of stocks, allegedly made on his behalf by companies linked to him. The EFCC then withdrew the earlier charges against him and filed a fresh 56-count charge which brought the total sum of money allegedly laundered by him to N16.3 Billion.

Upon re-arraignment, Tafa Balogun pleaded guilty to eight of the 56 count charges preferred against him, after reaching a plea-bargaining agreement with the prosecutorial agency to plead guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence. The Federal High Court then convicted Tafa Balogun on the 23rd November, 2005 on each of the eight counts he pleaded guilty to. The presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Binta Nyako then read the sentence thus:

"Nobody is above the law. However, he has shown remorse and taking into cognisance he did not waste the time of the court by pleading guilty, he is hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment on all counts. The sentence is however to run concurrently."

The court directed that Tafa Balogun to pay N500, 000 on each of the eight counts charges totaling N4 million. He was also to forfeit all his assets while the Corporate Affairs Commission was instructed to strike out the names of all his companies from it’s register of companies.

Tafa Balogun’s conviction was the first major successful conviction of a prominent political figure in the country. However, many Nigerians were displeased at the light sentence he got through his plea bargaining, vis-à-vis the gravity of offences he committed.

External links/URLs

https://www.nigerianmuse.com/nigeriawatch/officialfraud/?u=Tafa_Balogun_arrested.htm

https://www.proshareng.com/news/GENERAL/Balogun-arraigned--Osomo-Sacked---Wabara-Quits/110

http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=5601

http://nm.onlinenig

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