The anti-corruption war by President Muhammadu Buhari is gathering steam as he has reportedly started the process of identifying a few fearless and courageous judges who will be responsible for the prosecution of those guilty of looting the nation’s resources.
The Punch reports that the prosecution would not be open to “just any judge,” as Buhari was committed to ensuring that only judges who would be fearless in discharging their duties and expedite action on the cases would be enlisted for the prosecution.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the assignments President Buhari gave the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption was to identify fearless and courageous judges that will handle the cases.
“We do not need to entertain any fear that the prosecution of corruption-related cases will not be fast enough because many of our courts are already weighed down by many cases.
“The truth of the matter is that not all judges will be considered to take up the cases of those who have stolen our commonwealth.
“The idea is to ensure that the judges who will handle the cases will not be just any judges. They must be those who will expedite actions on the cases and discharge their duties with courage.
“You can see that with this development, the issue of special courts for corruption cases may not come. It is about special judges,” the source said.
It was also gathered that the president was considering withdrawing national honours from any individual found to have looted the nation’s treasury so that the nation would not be seen as one honouring any fraudulent person.
Also speaking, Femi Adesina, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said it was reasonable that anybody found to be corrupt should be stripped of national honours.
He however, said national honours would not be withdrawn until competent courts had secured a conviction.
Last week, while granting audience to members of the National Peace Committee led by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar in the presidential villa, Abuja, President Buhari had announced that the prosecution of those who looted the nation’s treasury would commence in a matter of weeks.
The National Peace Committee had advised Buhari to adhere to the rule of law in his anti-corruption war.
The Punch reports that the prosecution would not be open to “just any judge,” as Buhari was committed to ensuring that only judges who would be fearless in discharging their duties and expedite action on the cases would be enlisted for the prosecution.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the assignments President Buhari gave the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption was to identify fearless and courageous judges that will handle the cases.
“We do not need to entertain any fear that the prosecution of corruption-related cases will not be fast enough because many of our courts are already weighed down by many cases.
“The truth of the matter is that not all judges will be considered to take up the cases of those who have stolen our commonwealth.
“The idea is to ensure that the judges who will handle the cases will not be just any judges. They must be those who will expedite actions on the cases and discharge their duties with courage.
“You can see that with this development, the issue of special courts for corruption cases may not come. It is about special judges,” the source said.
It was also gathered that the president was considering withdrawing national honours from any individual found to have looted the nation’s treasury so that the nation would not be seen as one honouring any fraudulent person.
Also speaking, Femi Adesina, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said it was reasonable that anybody found to be corrupt should be stripped of national honours.
He however, said national honours would not be withdrawn until competent courts had secured a conviction.
Last week, while granting audience to members of the National Peace Committee led by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar in the presidential villa, Abuja, President Buhari had announced that the prosecution of those who looted the nation’s treasury would commence in a matter of weeks.
The National Peace Committee had advised Buhari to adhere to the rule of law in his anti-corruption war.
