FG Sets up 20-man Committee to Coordinate Prosecution of High Corruption Cases

FG Sets up 20-man Committee to Coordinate Prosecution of High Corruption Cases

As the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari celebrates its first year in office, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday inaugurated a National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC) to further enhance the delivery of one of its major promises – the fight against corruption.

The committee which is to ensure effective prosecution of corruption and other high-profile criminal cases in the country, is headed by the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The Nation reports that Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the ceremony, said that the president is not interested in tele-guiding the anti-corruption agencies or prosecution authorities in the country.

According to the vice president, the administration expects the anti-corruption agencies to use their powers with fairness and devoid of any prejudice.

Addressing the 20-member Committee, Osinbajo said: “That is the sort of responsibility placed on your own shoulders as well, the responsibility to exercise prosecutorial power independently and without any direction except of course from the learned Attorney-General who is the constitutional and prosecutorial authority in the country.

“It is a very serious responsibility because it also involves making sure that people are treated fairly or that people are not pursued by reason of bias or any other such consideration,’’ he added.

The vice president stressed that the selection of the committee members took into consideration not only their legal skills and learning, but also their integrity and strength of character in order to chart a new course in the nation’s criminal justice system.

The AGF, Mr Malami (SAN) stated that to fast-track the work of the committee, the justice ministry has created 20 prosecution teams with four members each and had requested the all agencies exercising police powers to recommend five experienced investigators to support the committee’s work.

Some other members of the committee include Mr Taiwo Abidogun, the Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary of the ministry of justice, Mr Dipo Okpeseyi, SAN; Mr Chukuma Machukwu, SAN, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, the executive secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption; and Mr M.S. Diri, the director of prosecution at the ministry of justice, among others.