Nigeria Files Corruption Charges Against Dick Cheney

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Former US Vice President, Dick Cheney, may soon have a "red notice" issued for his arrest as the Nigerian authorities today officially filed corruption charges against him before a Federal Capital Territory High Court judge in Abuja.

                                          

Prosecutors in the Federal Attorney General's office, led by Godwin Obla, confirmed to Saharareporters from the Office of the Minister of Justice that Nigeria has officially filed 16 -count charges to bring Dick Cheney to trial for corruptly enriching Nigerian officials when he led Halliburton, an oil services firm that distributed over $180 million to top Nigerian officials in order to obtain juicy contracts from the Nigerian government.

Also included in the charges are the current Managing Directors of Halliburton and KBR.

Yesterday in Houston, United States, a British national, Mr. Wojciech Chodan, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the US.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is spearheading the trial of Mr. Cheney and others. According to Mr. Obla, the next steps includes issuing a bench warrant and seeking the help of the Interpol to track dow and arrest Mr. Cheney to enable him face trial in Nigeria.

Reactions to the pursuit of Mr. Cheney are mixed in Nigeria.  Many observers are aghast that the same fervor for chasing foreign, dead or out-of- favour former government officials are not being extended to Nigeria's most corrupt, many of whom are walking the streets unmolested or even contesting electoral offices of their choice.  Several former Nigerian leaders and other senior officials have been indicted for Halliburton-related corruption, but none of them has even been questioned by the EFCC.





Nigeria Files Corruption Charges Against Dick Cheney, May Issue Bench Warrant Through Interpol