FG Stops State Pardon For Corrupt Nigerians

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Mohammed Shosanya

Any person found guilty of corruption should not enjoy State pardon,Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN),

He spoke at a roundtable organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for state Attorneys General in Abuja on Monday.

He also advised law enforcement agencies against shoddy investigations, urging them to have their facts before summoning anyone for questioning.

“I will suggest in our next constitution review exercise that we expunge those found guilty of corruption from benefiting from powers of ‘Prerogative of Mercy’ to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

He said the cooperation of all stakeholders, especially the Attorneys General of States, was crucial in the fight against corruption.

He advised the AGs to eschew nepotism, political witch-hunting, rivalry, and bigotry in the fight against corruption just because they want to please their governors.

Besides,the AGF said there should be no basis for rationalising corruption or crimes, stressing that
their legal opinions on cases must be based on the facts as practised in the advanced countries.

“We should not give in to public sentiments. In Nigeria, we are polarised along political lines” the AGF said.

He advised participants and anti-graft agencies to conduct thorough investigations of cases before arresting suspects to avoid media trials.

“Let us be thorough and take our time before inviting someone for questioning. Don’t do a shoddy job and be quick to say we have caught a big fish…You will catch a big fish.

“If it is two or three big fish you are able to get in a year and you are thorough, it is alright,” Fagbemi added.

In a statement by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Assistant to the President on Communication & Publicity,Office of the AGF & Minister of Justice,the AGF also counselled against filing bogus counts of charges against defendants just to generate frenzy in the public against the suspect.

“Nobody wants a 50-count charge…make it five or six and be sure. Make sure you get him (suspect) in,” he said.

255180cookie-checkFG Stops State Pardon For Corrupt Nigerians

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