In a bold move to strengthen the fight against corruption, Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, has advocated for the exclusion of corruption convicts from benefiting from state pardon.
Fagbemi made this declaration on Monday in Abuja at a roundtable organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for state commissioners for justice.
The minister emphasized that he would propose an amendment to the constitution to ensure that those found guilty of corruption are denied the prerogative of mercy.
“I will suggest in our next constitution review exercise that we expunge those found guilty of corruption from benefiting from powers of the prerogative of mercy to serve as a deterrent to others,” Fagbemi stated.
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Fagbemi stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, particularly attorneys-general, in the fight against corruption.
He urged commissioners to avoid allowing nepotism, political witch-hunting, rivalry, or bigotry to influence their actions in an attempt to appease their governors. “We should not give in to public sentiments. In Nigeria, we are polarized along political lines,” the minister noted.
The AGF also advised anti-graft agencies to ensure thorough investigations before arresting suspects to avoid media trials.
“Let us be thorough and take our time before inviting someone for questioning. Don’t do a shoddy job and be quick to say we have caught a big fish…You will catch a big fish,” he said. “If it is two or three big fish you are able to get in a year and you are thorough, it is alright.”
Furthermore, Fagbemi cautioned against filing bogus counts of charges against defendants to generate public frenzy. “Nobody wants a 50-count charge; make it five or six and be sure,” he said.
Fagbemi’s proposals have been praised by anti-corruption advocates, who see this as a significant step towards strengthening the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
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