BEVERLY HILLS, December 29, (THEWILL) – Contrary to the speculations that treasury looters currently on trial may be let off the hook through plea bargain, the Federal Government said on Tuesday that there would be no plea bargain for those facing corruption charges.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), stated this when officials of the advocacy group, BringBackOurGirls campaign movement, led by its convener, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, visited him in his office in Abuja.
“I cannot imagine someone being responsible for monumental deaths of our citizens and then going scot-free arising from plea-bargain as a policy,” the minister said, adding “It has never been the policy of the government to make compromises on terrorism and financial crimes. It will never be tolerated by the office of the AGF.”
Malami disclosed that the Federal Government had put in place a formidable team of prosecutors to drive the government’s anti-corruption war at the various courts in the country.
The BringBackOurGirls group, championing the call for the release of the abducted Chibok girls since 2014, was on the visit to engage the minister on ways of securing the release of the abducted girls from Boko Haram captivity.
Malami assured the group that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to bringing all perpetrators of corrupt practices that led to heightened insurgency in the country to book.
According to him, “We have put in place a national prosecution team that comprises all stakeholders for the purposes of ensuring the success of what charge is presented before the courts.”
He added that “The committee will be saddled with the responsibility of preferring relevant charges and ensuring that charges are preferred in line with the dictates of the law without compromises.”
While noting that corruption cases under past administrations in the country were deliberately compromised during investigation in order to pave way for criminal elements to escape prosecution, Malami assured that steps had been taken to audit such cases with a view to bringing the culprits to justice.
His words: “It is not just about having a team that will be prosecuting but ensuring that relevant audit is taken as it relates to previous prosecution to ensure that those that are found wanting are brought to book.
“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, efficient investigators that will ensure that adequate proof of evidence that will establish the required ingredients of an offence are put in place.
“And then competent prosecutors that will now ensure that the required proofs are presented before relevant courts for the purpose of establishing guilt.”
The minister described the abduction of the Chibok girls as “tormenting and psychologically traumatising” for the nation.
“It is tragic for a nation to have a budget meant for arms procurement for the protection of lives and property of the citizens, and end up not having the arms but compromising the process of making adequate provisions for the protection of lives of its citizens.”
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated sufficient skill and commitment to the protection of lives and property within the shortest practicable time of coming into existence, it has recorded tremendous success including confronting Sambisa forest head-on with the hope of rescuing the Chibok girls,” he said as he re-assured the group of government’s commitment to secure the release of the abducted girls.
