SAN FRANCISCO, 08, (THEWILL) – The Senate on Thursday passed into law a bill to protect whistleblowers and witnesses directly involved in the prosecution of certain criminal cases.
The passage of the bill entitled: Witness Protection Programme (Establishment etc), SB 157, was sequel to a report submitted by the committee on human rights, legal matters and judiciary chaired by Senator David Umaru (APC-Niger).
It was sponsored by the late Isiaka Adeleke, the Osun West APC Senator who died in April.
In October 2016 when the bill scaled second reading, the Senate had resolved to merge it with a similar proposal to protect persons making disclosures for public interest and other forms of reappraisal, sponsored by Mrs.
Abiodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti).
When the bill was being considered for second reading last year, Adeleke, in his lead debate, had explained that such a law protecting witnesses was usually required in the prosecution of organised crimes like terrorism.
He added that in such trials, the witnesses would be allowed to wear masks, bear pseudo names and receive protection from authorities.
On her part, Olujimi said, “this is a cardinal bill in the fight against corruption”, pointing out that the fight against corruption revolves round an effective protection of whistleblowers.
She mentioned three instances at the Ministry of Aviation, Women Development Centre and the Police Service Commission where whistleblowers were fired.
In his remark after the bill was passed, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, commended his colleagues for the bill, which he said, was in honour of the deceased Adeleke.
It however bears stating that for the bill to become a law, it must also be passed by the House of Representatives and be assented to by the President.
