BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, wants President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently refer the allegations of corruption against Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation, SGF, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for further investigation.
Besides, the SERAP would want President Buhari to urgently publish the outcome of the investigation conducted on the matter by Abubakar Malami, SAN, attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice. It also wants Malami to hand over the case file on the matter to both the EFCC and ICPC.
In the letter dated January 27, 2017 and signed by Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP executive director, the organisation said: “We are concerned that the failure to suspend Mr. Lawal from his position as secretary to the government of the federation pending the investigation by Mr. Malami, and the perceived lack of transparency in the outcome of that investigation may have created the impression that your government is treating Mr. Lawal as a sacred cow.”
The letter copied to acting President Yemi Osinbajo said in part: “SERAP believes that Mr. Lawal’s case presents your administration with a real opportunity to reassure a lot of Nigerians who may be worried about the direction of travel of your anti-corruption agenda. Rather than assuming a defensive posture to the matter, we advise you to use this case to show to Nigerians that there will be no two standards of justice in your Administration’s fight against corruption.”
“SERAP also believes the recommended approach would help to address the growing public suspicion and pessimism about your government’s ability to fight high-level official corruption to a standstill, and to avoid any collateral consequences. It is absolutely important that the public should have complete confidence and trust in your Administration’s oft-repeated commitment to fight corruption and the impunity of perpetrators.”
“It is true that Mr. Lawal enjoys a constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to a fair trial, which includes the right to be presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. But we believe that the right to presumption of innocence is one that should have personally be raised by Mr. Lawal and not your government, especially given his position as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. SERAP believes that the guilt or innocence of Mr. Lawal is for the court to decide, following a due process of law.”
The SERAP said its recommendations were “to assist the government to achieve public confidence and trust, effectively spread the gospel of anticorruption, and be on the right side of history.”
— Jan 30, 2017 @ 15:00 GMT
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