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.

Lithium     Iyabo Dupe Adekeye     Share/Tsaragi     Femi Agbaje     Muritala Awodun     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Najim Yaasin     Innocent Okoye     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Ahmed Idris Mohammed     First Lady     Adegoke Bamidele     Taofik Abdulkareem     Yusuf Ali     Moses Rahman Popoola     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Mohammed Haruna     Yakubu Shaaba     Sheikh Hamzat Yusuf Ariyibi     Hauwa Nuru     Kolade Solagberu     Ilesha-Gwanara     Hussein Olokooba     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Suleman Abubakar     Sola Saraki Educational Foundation     Oke-Ero     Abubakar B.M     Saliu Oluwole     Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye     Olaitan Adefila     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Ajia-Bako     Taofeek Ibraheem     UNIFEMGA     Tanke     Ilorin Emirate     Olomu     Post-utme     Saadu Alanamu     Eleyele     Face Masks     Borgu     New Model Police Station     Muhammed Abdullahi     Amoyo     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     07039448763     Alfa Belgore     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Yahaya Oloriegbe     FERMA     Matthew Okedare     Col. Taiwo     Hassan Saliu     Funmilayo Mohammed     Computer Based Test     Abdulkarim Adisa     ER-KANG     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Saad Omo\'ya     International Aviation College     Sambo Murtala     Mufti Of Ilorin     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Olaosebikan     BIR     Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Adaramaja     Oba-Solagberu     Salihu Yahaya     Ayo Opadokun     Maryam A. Garuba     Gbemi Saraki     Ado Ibrahim     Coronavirus     Sulyman Buhari    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Abdulraheem Olesin     Oke-Ero     Mazars Consulting     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Ibikunle Ogunleye     TESCOM 2025     Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia     Joshua Adeyemi Adimula     Aremu Odolaye     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Kwara     Zulu Gambari     Tinubu Legacy Forum     Abdulkadir Orire     John Kehinde Salako     Surajudeen Akanbi     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Talaka Parapo     Yakubu Dogara     Sabi     GAMA     Atunwa     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Oloje     Students Union Government     Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen     Tafida Of Ilorin     Omoniyi     Bareke     Prince Sunday Fagbemi     Yahaya Jibril Usman     Bamikole Omishore     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Temitope Ogunbanke     Saka Aleshinloye     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Otuka     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Mohammed Lawal     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Eleja Taiwo Banu     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Forgo Battery     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Yahaya A Paniyaro     Assayomo     Ayedun     Yemi Sanni     Budo Egba     Bayer Nigeria Limited     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Abdulsalam Firdaous Amosa     Academic Staff Union Of Universities     Senate     UNILORIN Alumni     Transition Implementation Committee     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Yusuf Lawal     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Elerin Of Adanla     Ajike People Support Centre     Saraki     Kwara Metro Park     George Innih     Okin Biscuits     Halimat Yusuf     Oyedepo     Umar Adelodun     Olusola Saraki     Sanusi Abubakar     Noah Yusuf     Arca Santa     Adesoye