Politics SERAP Writes CJN To Investigate Obasanjo

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Transparency group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sent a letter to the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, demanding that he urgently “appoint an independent counsel to investigate allegations of corruption in the spending of $16 billion on electricity by the government of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.”

SERAP pointed out that the request was brought in “pursuant to Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, and the letter and spirit of the Act, and the object and purpose of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

The letter was dated November 24, and was signed by the group’s senior staff counsel, Timothy Adewale.

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The statement reads in part: “A Parliamentary Hearing by the House of Representatives in Abuja over the spending of $16 billion between 1999 and 2007 on the power project revealed through testimonies of witnesses appearing before the Committee that the $16 billion budgeted for the power project may have been stolen by some state officials and others, and cannot be accounted for.”

“Section 52 of the Corrupt Practices Act requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria to authorise an independent counsel to investigate any allegation of corruption against high level public officials—at the federal or state level–and to report his findings to the National Assembly or appropriate house of assembly.”

“We believe that the above highlighted findings by the Parliamentary Hearing have sufficiently demonstrated good cause invariably justifying your intervention in the matter. We therefore urge you to interpret this provision robustly and flexibly in the light of the unique role of the judiciary in the efforts to prevent and combat corruption and its destructive effects on the society.”
 
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