PLEA-BARGAINING IN NIGERIA: WHEN CRIME PAYS

Abstract

It is notable that the plea-bargaining process was initially introduced into Nigeria as a panacea to economic and financial crimes cases and even though it is now made applicable to other crimes; economic and financial crimes remain its focus. Economic and financial crimes are illegal acts committed by an individual or a group of individuals to obtain a financial or professional advantage, the principal motive being economic gain. They are non-violent crimes that cause financial loss to the victims and society. The history and typology of economic crimes in Nigeria is political corruption and the related offences of money laundering by politically exposed persons. However, decided cases reveal that plea-bargaining has failed to resolve economic crimes effectively, rather the process has provided soft landing for defendants, especially in political corruption cases, due to the extant legal and socio-political conditions in Nigeria.