ICPC Seeks To Prosecute Corruption Cases In Federal Courts.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has proposed to the National Assembly for an
expansion of its options of courts to prosecute corruption cases to
include Federal High Courts.

A statement issued by the spokesperson for the Commission, Mrs
Rasheedat Okoduwa, and obtained by Channels Television on Friday
said the proposal was contained in a memorandum presented to the
House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption.

Acting Chairman of ICPC, Mr Abdullahi Bako, made the
presentation during a public hearing organised on a bill to amend
the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Mr Bako said the amendment became necessary given the fact that
the Commission was restricted by its extant law to prosecute cases
only in State High courts, a development he said was hampering its
prosecutorial effectiveness as high-profile defendants often wield
substantial influence within a state.

In the memorandum, the ICPC also made other proposals for
amendment such as limiting its board membership to seven persons as
against 13 that currently obtains, returning recovered proceeds of
corruption to their original sources whether Federal, State, Local
government or private persons, and retaining a percentage of its
recoveries to help fund the commission among others.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Committee Chairman,
Honourable Akinloye Babajide, said the amendment of the Act was
being done to enhance and strengthen the commission’s efficiency
and effectiveness.

He added that the importance of the public hearing, as a forum
for the public, was to seek various inputs to make a good law
towards the overall fight against corruption.

Representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) and other relevant agencies also attended the forum where
they made presentations in support of the proposed amendments.

An official from the EFCC’s legal and prosecution department, Mr
Jonson Ojogbane, said it was international best practice for a law
enforcement agency to retain a fraction of its recovered proceeds
of crime.

For the Legal Director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of Nigeria (ICAN), Mrs Ifeoma Ewosa, recovered proceeds of
corruption should not just be returned to their original owners but
there should be a time-frame (such as 30 days) for such return to
be carried out and also sanctions should be stipulated for
non-compliance.

However, one of the representatives of the Nigerian Law Reforms
Commission, Mr Jerry Ezeobi, objected to the amendment proposal for
ICPC to retain a part of its recoveries.

According to him, it would make the commission deviate from its
mandate of fighting corruption to seeking benefits it would gain
from recoveries.

Other stakeholders at the gathering included representatives of
the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, military service chiefs, Code of
Conduct Bureau, Nigeria Customs Service, and Nigerian Law School
among others.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has proposed to the National Assembly for an
expansion of its options of courts to prosecute corruption cases to
include Federal High Courts.

A statement issued by the spokesperson for the Commission, Mrs
Rasheedat Okoduwa, and obtained by Channels Television on Friday
said the proposal was contained in a memorandum presented to the
House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption.

Acting Chairman of ICPC, Mr Abdullahi Bako, made the
presentation during a public hearing organised on a bill to amend
the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Mr Bako said the amendment became necessary given the fact that
the Commission was restricted by its extant law to prosecute cases
only in State High courts, a development he said was hampering its
prosecutorial effectiveness as high-profile defendants often wield
substantial influence within a state.

In the memorandum, the ICPC also made other proposals for
amendment such as limiting its board membership to seven persons as
against 13 that currently obtains, returning recovered proceeds of
corruption to their original sources whether Federal, State, Local
government or private persons, and retaining a percentage of its
recoveries to help fund the commission among others.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Committee Chairman,
Honourable Akinloye Babajide, said the amendment of the Act was
being done to enhance and strengthen the commission’s efficiency
and effectiveness.

He added that the importance of the public hearing, as a forum
for the public, was to seek various inputs to make a good law
towards the overall fight against corruption.

Representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) and other relevant agencies also attended the forum where
they made presentations in support of the proposed amendments.

An official from the EFCC’s legal and prosecution department, Mr
Jonson Ojogbane, said it was international best practice for a law
enforcement agency to retain a fraction of its recovered proceeds
of crime.

For the Legal Director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of Nigeria (ICAN), Mrs Ifeoma Ewosa, recovered proceeds of
corruption should not just be returned to their original owners but
there should be a time-frame (such as 30 days) for such return to
be carried out and also sanctions should be stipulated for
non-compliance.

However, one of the representatives of the Nigerian Law Reforms
Commission, Mr Jerry Ezeobi, objected to the amendment proposal for
ICPC to retain a part of its recoveries.

According to him, it would make the commission deviate from its
mandate of fighting corruption to seeking benefits it would gain
from recoveries.

Other stakeholders at the gathering included representatives of
the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, military service chiefs, Code of
Conduct Bureau, Nigeria Customs Service, and Nigerian Law School
among others.