A retired judge of the Ogun State High Court, Justice Babasola Ogunade, believes Nigeria has tolerated corrupt public officials for too long. According to him, until they are shamed rather than celebrated, corruption will persist. He urges Nigeria to learn from the United Kingdom. JOSEPH JIBUEZE writes.
While reading the London Evening Standard in November 2009, a former Ogun State High Court judge, Justice Babasola Ogunade came across a story that struck him.
It was the report (and pictures) of former deputy mayor of London, Ian Clement, re-painting lavatories and changing rooms at King George’s playing fields in Sidcup, Kent.
It was Clement’s punishment for fiddling £156 of his expenses. He was caught using his official credit card to pay for three lunches with his 23-year-old girlfriend Claire Dowson.
After reading the story, Justice Ogunade carefully folded the newspaper cutout and saved it.
Believing it is something worth learning from by Nigerians, he made cutout available to The Nation, five years after.
He believes that until the country gets to that stage where corrupt persons, no matter how much they steal or how highly placed, are harshly dealt with, the problem of graft will persist.
The full story
The online version of the story published on November 29, 2009, reads: “Public shame of Boris’s deputy mayor who paints loos.
“The Standard’s exclusive pictures show (Mayor of London) Boris Johnson’s former right-hand man for the first time since he was convicted of fraud over his City Hall expenses.
“Five months ago Ian Clement, 44, was one of the most powerful political figures in London. He flew around the world helping to plan the 2012 Olympics and represented the capital at the 9/11 memorial service in New York.
“But in a sharp fall from grace, he is now completing 100 hours of community service and living with a suspended 12-week prison sentence, a 9pm curfew and an electronic tag.
“Unemployed, Clement’s 27-year political career is over. He is pictured helping refurbish the lavatories and changing rooms at King George’s playing fields in Sidcup, Kent.
“He spent more than an hour labouring outside with a handful of other offenders on community service, who were taken to the grounds by bus.
“A friend today said Clement is ‘totally destroyed’ by the conviction.
“Clement, a former Bexley councillor, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation after using his City Hall credit card to entertain his girlfriend and another woman.
“He was given a corporate card to cover any ‘exceptional’ expenditure while abroad on City Hall business. But he used it to pay for two meals with 23-year-old Claire Dowson — for whom he left the mother of his son — and a dinner with PR assistant Joanna Laban. He lied and said he had dined with Tory council leaders. The three meals cost £156.70.
“Clement was first suspected of impropriety last November when he started sending cheques to City Hall to cover personal spending he had made on his work credit card.
“He initially used it to upgrade tickets for himself and a colleague on a flight to the Beijing Olympics. Clement then ignored a series of warnings and continued to use the card for more than £2,300 of personal spending, racking up bills in excess of £7,000.
“His spending included £535 of work to his Jaguar and two £100-plus meals at Le Pont De La Tour restaurant at London Bridge, all of which he has since repaid.
“When the spending was revealed, the Mayor initially decided his friend had made an error of judgment but, following warnings, demanded his resignation on 22 June. The Greater London Authority referred the matter to the police two days later.
“Sentencing Clement, Judge Quentin Purdy said he had ‘flagrantly and arrogantly’ misused taxpayers’ money.
“He told Clement he had come ‘very close indeed’ to being sent to prison. ‘You knew full well what you were doing was dishonest and it is your fault and your fault entirely. I accept you have lost much as a result of your wrong-doing but you regarded yourself as above the rules. Your dishonesty is now clear for all to see and it is entirely your fault. You were in a position of considerable authority and you arrogantly and flagrantly abused that with meals at the public expense.’
“Clement, a former postman from Crayford, publicly apologised to Mr Johnson outside Westminster magistrates’ court, saying he was ‘truly sorry’. He admitted he had ‘let down’ taxpayers and colleagues.
“‘I have failed to live up to the high standards of officer that were expected of me. I have given many years of dedicated public service to London which has been my pride, my passion and my life. That is over now. I very much regret and am truly sorry for my actions that have let down many good people, my family friends and colleagues including and not least the Mayor of London.’”
A lesson for Nigeria
“Our society has gone to the dogs,” said Justice Ogunade in reference to the erosion of the country’s value system. To him, if it were Nigeria, the money “stolen” by Mr Clement would be considered too insignificant to warrant him being subjected to such public ridicule.
He believes that apart from a change in the value system, it would require political will to shame corrupt officials.
He noted that as the mayor right-hand man, Mr Clement he could easily have been shielded from prosecution, especially considering the amount involved. The case could also have been frustrated by the courts.
Significantly, Mr Clement repaid the illegal expenses, but was still made to undergo community service. He admitted the wrongdoing, and never attempted to appeal against the verdict.
He was given a 12-week jail sentence suspended for 18 months, ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work, stayed at home between 9pm and 6am and pay £1,000 costs.
“Here, people in authority trample the law and get away with it. Until we’re able to shame corrupt persons, corruption will remain Nigeria’s undoing,” the judge said. Will Nigeria learn?
