Corruption: Ozekhome, PACAC, CACOL disagree over special courts

Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has disagreed with submissions that the establishment of Special Courts will quicken anti-corruption trials in the country. Ozekhome, who was a panelist at the ongoing Fifth National Criminal Justice Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Asaba, Delta State, said the establishment of Special Courts without changing the government’s […]

Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has disagreed with submissions that the establishment of Special Courts will quicken anti-corruption trials in the country.

Ozekhome, who was a panelist at the ongoing Fifth National Criminal Justice Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Asaba, Delta State, said the establishment of Special Courts without changing the government’s anti-corruption strategy will not improve the anti-corruption fight.

He said the special courts will still follow the same procedure of plea taking, evidence tendering, among others, which delays trials.

Ozekhome spoke after the representative of the Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Bolaji Owasonoye, Dr Oziri Azi, listed the moves towards the establishment of Special Courts for corruption cases, including a Bill before the National Assembly.

Ozekhome said Nigerians will believe the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war when members of the government are charged, while challenging government to publicly declare the ‘loot’ purportedly recovered if they are not being "re-looted."

However, the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran also said he is disagreeing with Ozekhome. He said corruption is on the rise because all regulatory agencies are not charged with responsiblity to enforce anti-corruption laws.

"Corruption agencies should go beyond EFCC and ICPC. Every regulatory agency should be classified as anti-corruption agency," he said.

The chairman of the panel and former Supreme Court justice and chairman of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO), Justice Suleiman Galadima said the National Judicial Council (NJC) committee has divided its operation into the three geo-political zones. He said the committee has submitted its report for the designation of special courts for corruption trial.