Saraki's acquittal: SERAP urges Osinbajo to set up anti-corruption commission...Seeks UN support in anti-graft war

Date: 2017-06-16

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has described the dismissal of Sen. Bukola Saraki's trial by the Code of Conduct Tribuna yesterday as an indication of serious shortcomings in the nation's criminal justice system.

Saraki had been cleared of an 18-count charge filed against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau which includes false declaration of assets while he was governor Kwara state.

In its reaction to the dismissal of the case in a statement released by its Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale, the civil rights group appealed to the Presidency to seek the support of the international community in prosecuting high-profile corrupt cases.

"The acquittal yesterday of the Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) of corruption charges suggests serious shortcomings in the criminal justice system, and means that a complementary and supportive mechanism in the form of a UN-backed commission against corruption and impunity in Nigeria is urgently needed to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari's oft-stated anti-corruption agenda," it said.

The organization urged the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to urgently pursue the establishment of a UN-backed International Commission Against Corruption and Impunity to assist our criminal justice system to effectively and efficiently investigate and prosecute high-level corruption cases in the country, like it happened in Guatemala.

According to SERAP, "A UN-backed commission would help to improve our criminal justice system in the short, medium and long terms so that it would be better able to prosecute complex grand corruption cases. It would also meet the longstanding and legitimate demands of the Nigerian people for vigorous and meaningful action against corrupt leaders, past or present.

"Supporting a strong partnership between Nigerian prosecutors and international law enforcement experts would show that the authorities have the ability and political will to chip away at the country's corruption and impunity of perpetrators, and help address Nigerians' scepticism about the viability of the anti-corruption agenda.

"Further, to end a culture of corruption and impunity of perpetrators, we urge the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, to urgently take over the prosecution of the corruption case against Mr Saraki by ensuring that the CCT decision is urgently appealed and that the case is diligently prosecuted within the limits of the rule of law.

"The outcome of the Saraki's case sends a damaging message that suspected corrupt leaders can get away with their crimes, while keeping their stolen assets. Many would-be corrupt leaders may now see engaging in acts of corruption a risk worth taking," the statement read in parts.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Fatimat Saliu     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Temitope Ogunbanke     Sheriff Shagaya     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Mohammed Abdulahi     Nigerian Correctional Service     Baboko     Tunde Oyawoye     Abdulazeez Arowona     Charcoal     Binta Abubakar Mora     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Hamid Bobboyi     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Face Masks     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited     Ganiyu Taofiq     Saliu Alamoyo     Adaramaja     Garba Ado Sanni     Principal Private Secretary     IESA     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Haliru Yahaya     Mamatu Abdullahi     Olaitan Adefila     Kwara-SAPZ Project     Obuh     Abdulrasheed Lafia     Kassim Babamale     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Funmilayo Isiaka Oniwa     Olufolake Abdulrazaq     Isiaka Rafiu Mope     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Senior Ibrahim Suleiman     Demola Banu     Lawal Jimoh     Funmilayo Zubair     Najim Yaasin     Kayode Laro     Curfew     Salihu S. Yaru     Oke-Ero     Iyiola Oyedepo     Muhammed Danjuma     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     David Oyedepo     Abubakar B.M     Zulu Gambari     High Court     Ayegbeni     Adesoye College     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Afolayan     Inside Kwara     Abdulraheem Yusuf     Galadiman Ngeri     Edret Sabi Abel     Yetunde Balogun     SDP     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Mujtabah Bature     Senate President     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Moshood Bakare     Tsaragi/Share     Olaoye B. Felix     Toyin Abdullahi     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     Babatunde Ishola Babaita     Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi     Bayo Ajia    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Lanre Jimoh     Coronavirus     NURTW     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Abdulazeez Uthman     Shoprite     Shola Odetundun     Student Learning Support Helpline     Gbugbu     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Tafida Of Ilorin     Mohammed Ibrahim     Kale Ayo     KWASSIP     BECE     Arinola Lawal     Yomi Ogunsola     Kwara State Fire Service     Kehinde Boyede     Jamiu Oyawoye     Dunmade     Binta Abubakar-Mora     Saad Omo\'ya     Bolaji Abdullahi     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Moro     Logun     Haliru Dantoro     Old Oyo     Suleiman Abubakar     The Herald     Salihu Jibril Garbi     Razaq Atunwa     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Apado     Oya State     Rotimi Atere     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     PharmAccess Foundation     Salman Suleiman     ITEM 7     Seed Technologies     Madawaki     Akeem Olatunji     Arca Santa     National Association Of Nigerian Students     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Kayode Yusuf     KSIRS     Kolawole Akande     SWAN     Dan Masanin     Mazars Consulting     Eghe Igbinehin     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Saadu Alanamu     Balogun Fulani     Awoye     Alaro     Durosinlohun Atiku     Hakeem Idris     Michael Ologundea     NIPR     Tafidan Kaiama     Laboratory-to-Product     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Olatomiwa Williams     Maryam Nurudeen     Ayedun     Aro Yahaya     Baakini     Kaiama     KwaraLearn