Since assuming office on May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari has made recovering Nigeria's looted funds his main priority, with anti-graft agencies vigorously pursuing former government officials. Over recent months, however, there have been suggestions that suspected officials will be allowed to enter into plea bargains under which they will be allowed to return looted funds in exchange for clemency.
Yesterday, however, Mr Malami dismissed this suggestion, pointing out that the federal government had put in place a formidable team of public prosecutors to take on its anti-corruption war. He restated President Buhari’s commitment to bring all perpetrators of corrupt practices that led to the heightened insurgency in the country to book.
Mr Malami added: “We have put in place a national prosecution team that comprises all stakeholders for the purpose of prosecuting the charges presented before the courts. The committee will be saddled with the responsibility of preferring the relevant charges and ensuring that charges are preferred in line with the dictates of the law without compromise.”
In addition, Mr Malami noted that corruption cases under past administrations in the country were deliberately compromised during investigation in order to pave the way for criminal suspects to escape the long arm of the law. He pointed out that this time around, steps had been taken to audit such cases with a view to bringing the culprits to justice.
“It is not just about having a team that will be prosecuting but ensuring that the relevant audit is taken as it relates to previous prosecutions to ensure that those that are found wanting are brought to book and then the future of prosecution in this country is further enhanced by having in place an effective legal team that will involve legal drafters for efficient drafting of charges. In addition, there will be efficient investigators that will ensure that adequate proof of evidence that will establish the required ingredients of an offence are put in place and competent prosecutors that will ensure that the required evidence is presented before the relevant courts for the purpose of establishing guilt.
“I cannot imagine someone being responsible for monumental deaths of our citizens and then going scot-free arising from a plea bargain as a policy. It has never been the policy of the government to compromise on terrorism and financial crimes and it will never be tolerated by the office of the attorney-general of the federation,” Mr Malami added.
In a related development, the National Assembly has, in the light of recent scandals rocking arms purchase in the country, vowed to ensure that the money appropriated to the defence and security sector is well utilised through strict oversight of the sector. Senator Ahmad Lawan, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, said the legislature would partner with the executive arm of government to ensure that whatever is appropriated to the military is given to it.
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