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.

Kwara     Ayodele Shittu     Boko Haram     Bayer AG     Offa Poly     Mashood Dauda     Pacify Labs     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Oladipo Akanmu Tolani     Wasiu Onidugbe     Emir Of Kano     Sheriff Shagaya     Ahmed Dankaya     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Abdulazeez Arowona     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd     Bamikole Omishore     Ilorin.Info     Rueben Parejo     Abdulrahman Abdulrasak     Muhammed Aliyu     Aminu Ado Bayero     Overland     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi     Ibrahim Abikan     Tanke Road     Presidential Election     Osuwa     Radio Kwara     Samari     Saliu Mustapha     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Elesie Of Esie     Vishvas KOZ Tractors     Olokoba Sulyman     Ilorin Muslim Community     Durosinlohun Atiku     Omotoso     Kayode Oyin Zubair     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Oko-Olowo     MMWG     Kamaldeen Gambari     Bluenile Associates     Illyasu Abdullahi     Garba Ayodele Wahab     Ile Arugbo     CUTI     John Mayokun Dada     Saudat Abdulbaqi     Saheed Popoola     COVID     National Information Technology Development Agency     Kwara South     Kulende-UITH     Olugbense     Shuaib Abdulkadir     New Naira Notes     ER-KANG Mining     Taofeek Sanusi     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Habeeb Saidu     Muritala Olarewaju     Kola Adesina     Ahmed Alhasssan     Aisha Ahman-Pategi     Aliyu Adebayo     Tope Daramola     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Eghe Igbinehi     Dankaka     Makama Of Kaiama    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Kunbi Titiloye     Femtech     Mary Kemi Adeosun     All Peoples Party     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Umar Saro     Ogidi-Oloje     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Adamu Atta     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     Daud Adeshola     Habeeb Saidu     Bursary     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Chief Imam Of Ilorin     Adesina Simon Sodiya     Halimah Perogi     Saka Asiat Ayinke     Mamman Saba Jibril     Oni Adebayo     Aminu Adisa Logun     Segun Abifarin     Funmilayo Mohammed     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     Adedipe     Towoju     Baba Idris     Maigidasanma     Yomi Adeboye     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Patience Jonathan     LEAH Charity Foundation     Amuda Aluko     Kwara State Government     Barakat Community Secondary School     Yahaya Oloriegbe     Bola Sagaya     Olomu     Hassan Oyeleke     Kwara 2023     KWATMA     Issa Manzuma     Rotimi Atere     Muritala Awodun     EndSARS     International Public Sector Accounting Standards     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     KWSUED     Local Government     Isau     Ajidagba     KWTV     Marufat Oladosu     Kawu Baraje     Balogun-Ojomu     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Suleiman Abubakar     Toyin Saraki     SSA Youth     Sardauna     Ashiru     Assayomo     Chief Of Staff     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Folashade Omoniyi     Millennium Development Goals     Saduki Lafiagi     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Abubakar Ndakene     Oba-Solagberu     Shehu Adaramaja     Federal Road Maintenance Agency