Judicial corruption: the case of Nigeria
| Pages | 926-939 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-02-2017-0011 |
| Date | 01 October 2018 |
| Published date | 01 October 2018 |
| Author | Vasudev Das |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & Finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial crime |
Judicial corruption: the case
of Nigeria
Vasudev Das
Department of Management and Technology, Walden University, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to diagnosticallyexplore the phenomenon of judicial corruption in
Nigeria, its causative factors and generate strategies such as sonic therapeutic intervention, among others,
that would facilitatean amelioration of the situation. The judiciarywhich is supposed to be last hope of justice
for the Nigerian citizenry has beenproven beyond reasonable doubt to have been infected with the virusof
corruption,and therefore, an urgent call for action to rectify the situation is imperative.
Design/methodology/approach –The study usesa qualitative approach rooted in case study tradition.
Findings –The findings showed that power and testosterone, cheating proclivity, family pressure,
qualitative passion and ignorance, low self-control, inordinate kleptocratic desire, unrestrained mind and
sensory modalities, phenomenological mindset and identity crisis as endogenous contributive factors of
judicialcorruption in Nigeria.
Research limitations/implications –The limitationof the study stemmed from the fact that inasmuch
as a perception of corruption and corruption are cultural phenomena, the study results cannot be
generalizable.
Practical implications –The practical implication of the researchis rooted in the fact that the Nigerian
judiciary can gain fromthe study results and recommendation(s) if implemented withoutfear or favor for the
overall renewalof the judiciary and the nation at large.
Social implications –The study is geared toward ameliorating the Nigerian corrupt judiciary or
repositioning the judiciaryon its pivotal dignity, and hence, its social implication cannot be overemphasized
inasmuch as a positive social change would prevail if the study resultsand recommendation(s) are aligned
with and implemented.
Originality/value –Inquiry on judicialcorruption through the lens of qualitative research withNigeria as
a case study is highlyunderstudied, and hence, this research fills thegap in the financial crime literature.
Keywords Nigeria, Identity crisis, Judicial corruption, Passion and ignorance,
Phenomenological mindset, Sonic therapeutic intervention
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Corruption is an “undesirable”cankerworm that has permeated all nooks and crannies of
Nigeria’s social, economic andpolitical fabrics (Das, 2018). The variegated facets of judicial
corruption “rootedin its differential coefficient”in Nigeria do not diminish its sophistication,
as well as its destructive effects on the citizenry inasmuchas the judiciary is supposed to be
the last hope for justice of the citizenry. There is no gainsaying that judicial corruption has
indeed wreaked havoc on a number of victims of circumstances. When litigants have to
return from the judiciary to their domiciles with utter repulsiveness and mental agony due
to a failure of justice rooted in judicial corruption, such judicial corruption-caused distress
could be inestimable. However, Nigeria is not the only country in the global village whose
judiciary is infectedwith corruption inasmuch as several studies (Kennedy, 2016;Jetteret al.,
2016;Ionescu, 2012;Wang,2013;Taslitz, 2013;Li, 2012;Voigt and Gutmann, 2015;Traynor,
JFC
25,4
926
Journalof Financial Crime
Vol.25 No. 4, 2018
pp. 926-939
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1359-0790
DOI 10.1108/JFC-02-2017-0011
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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