DELE Imohiosen
Department of Accounting and finance programme,
College of Management and Social Sciences, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun state:
E-mail: augustine. imohiosen@bowen.edu.ng
cc augustinedelejune@gmail.com
ADEOLU Adeyefa
Pensioners FM, Onireke, Ibadan;
E-mail; adeyefaadeolu@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This research was carried out to investigate fraud and corruption in Nigeria; It employed the use
secondary data: The research employed histographs, pie charts, tables, bar charts as descriptive devices to
present the information sourced such that the reader will easily follow the trends of the analysis. It also
employed an overview of the theories of punishment; Deterrence, retributive, preventive and reformatory
theories as theories of punishment that has not been fully complied with in the punishment of fraudulent
and corrupt individuals in Nigeria. The research concluded that fraud has risen to the highest crescendo
within this current administration and it has created the greatest level of stunted development in all
ramifications ions towards the developmental part of the nation. It inferred that current administration of
justice in Nigeria to fraudulent and corrupt officials, cannot serve as deterrent to others. In other instance,
which is really an anomaly, the punishment meted out to the offenders is not commensurate with the
offence. Hence, instead of serving as a deterrent factor, it acts as an impetus for younger generations to
copy and even carry out more dastardly corrupt practices. The research also concluded that the concept of
plea bargaining should be totally removed from the fraud dictionary of Nigeria. A thief is a thief.
Keywords: Fraud, Corruption, Punishment Theory and Forensic Investigation