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.

Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Aliyu Muyideen     Akeem Lawal     General Hospital, Offa     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Senate     Ayo Opadokun     Amos Justus Sayo     Osinbajo     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Sabi     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     Madawaki Of Ilorin     Tafida     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Kunle Okeowo     Garment Factory     Sadiq Umar     Kolawole Bashirat     Sherif Sagaya     Razak Atunwa     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Jimoh Bashir     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Hussein Oloyede     Chief Imam Of Ilorin     March 28     Amos Bajeh     Henry Makinwa     VADA     John Dara     Temitope Ogunbanke     Sam Okaula     Local Government Pension Board     Logun     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Bibire Ajape     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Abdulrazaq Solihudeen     Lithium     Asa     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Hausa     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Fulani     Abubakar Lah     Rasaq Jimoh     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Hassan A. Saliu     Oju Ekun Sarumi     Abdulwasiu Bolaji Adeyi     TETFUND     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Ijakadi     Seun Bolaji     Kwara Consultative Forum     Olaosebikan     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Ilorin Curfew     Sheikh Hamzat Yusuf Ariyibi     LAK Jimoh     Tunji Oyawoye     Sheikh Alimi     Pakata Patriots     Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Mustapha Olanipekun     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Saidu Yaro Musa     Niyi Ogundiran     Wasiu Odewale     National Information Technology Development Agency     Kwarareports     Garuba Alikinla Shittu    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Michael Nzwekwe     Tsaragi/Share     Adeleke Ogungbe     REO CAKES     Jalala     Danhawa     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     TESCOM     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Maigida Soludero Transit     Federal Allocation     Revenue Court     Oniwa     Bolakale Saka     The Herald     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Age AbdulKareem     Adebayo Salami     Sulaiman Gado     Sunday Popo-Ola     Balogin Alanamu     Abdulhakeem Amao     Vasolar Consortium     Bamidele Aluko     Kwara State Fish Farmers Association     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf     Durbar Festival     Akorede     Facebook     Ayegbeni     Aiyedun     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Muhammadu Gobir     Gbemi Saraki     Oke-Odo     Lucky Omoluwa     Mufutau Olatinwo     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Isau     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Abdulrasheed Lafia     Odogun Olushola Gabriel     Ogbondoroko     QuickWin     Ibrahim Mashood     David Oyedepo     Gaa Olobi     Adijat Adebiyi     Ilorin Curfew     Salihu S. Yaru     Okasanmi Ajayi     Jare Olatundun     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     Deji Ajani     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Makama Of Ilorin     Adewuyi Funmilayo     Orisun Igbomina     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Obuh     Ashiru     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Presidential Election     Young Progressives Party     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Rasheed Jimoh     New Nigeria People’s Party     Bola Shagaya     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Yemi Sanni     Al-Adaby     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Ahmed     Ishaq Abdulkarim