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PACAC to monitor corruption cases, says Sagay

The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) yesterday said it would deploy monitors of high profile corruption cases.

Its chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) praised the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen for directing that special courts for be set up within High Courts to handle only corruption cases.

The PACAC chairman said they welcomed the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee set up by the CJN, but has reservations about its composition.

He spoke at a “Roundtable for Experts on Developing a Template for Tracking and Monitoring Corruption Cases in Nigeria”, organised by PACAC and held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Sagay said PACAC’s monitoring team would complement the CJN’s monitoring committee.

“We were very happy when the CJN directed that special courts be set up. But we were a little bit downcast when he announced the form of monitoring he wanted.

“Without criticising them (the committee members) individually – I have nothing against them – but they are too senior. The minute they come into the court to monitor cases, the judge will know who they are, and then the case will not take the natural cause.

“Secondly, will they have time? Thirdly, many of them are actually defending people in the same circumstances over which the court is presiding. Will they be objective? Those are the issues we raised.

“That is why we want to complement what the CJN is doing with our own system of monitoring, which we expect to be more efficient and will produce better result.

“We’re cooperating with the CJN, but we want refine what he has so kindly provided. That’s the reason we’re here. The template for achieving this end is what has brought us here,” Sagay said.

The eminent professor of law regretted that despite the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015, high profile cases still drag for years in court.

He attributed this to some judges’ lack of firmness and their failure to strictly enforce the law.

“As I speak, there are 2,003 of such cases still on. They travel from the High Court to the Supreme Court and back to the High Court over an interlocutory matter, such as jurisdiction, defective charge, or other excuses.

“Good enough, the National Assembly passed this Act. Under normal circumstances, in a normal society, it ought to be effect and would have resulted in a revolutionary change. Cases would have been determined within nine monthsat the most. But that is not happening.

“Part of the causes is that judges are not taking control of their courts. They are still allowing Senior Advocates particularly to dominate them and almost create a situation where they’re taking dictations from them,” he said.

According to Sagay, the ACJA provides that cases must be heard day to day, and if it becomes absolutely essential, then 14-day adjournments may be granted.

“But we’re seeing adjournments being granted for two months,” he said.

January 16, 2018
PACAC to monitor corruption cases – Sagay

The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) said on Monday it would monitor high profile corruption cases in the country.

Its chairman, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), praised the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, for directing that special courts be set up within High Courts to handle only corruption cases.

He said PACAC welcomed the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee set up by the CJN, but has reservations about its composition.

He spoke at a “Roundtable for Experts on Developing a Template for Tracking and Monitoring Corruption Cases in Nigeria,” organised by PACAC and held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Sagay said PACAC’s monitoring team would complement the CJN’s monitoring committee.

He said: “We were very happy when the CJN directed that special courts be set up. But we were a little bit downcast when he announced the form of monitoring he wanted.

“Without criticising them (the committee members) individually, I have nothing against them. But they are too senior. The minute they come into the court to monitor cases, the judge will know who they are, and then the case will not take the natural cause.

“Secondly, will they have time? Thirdly, many of them are actually defending people in the same circumstances over which the court is presiding. Will they be objective? Those are the issues we raised.

“That is why we want to complement what the CJN is doing with our own system of monitoring, which we expect to be more efficient and will produce better result.

“We are cooperating with the CJN, but we want to refine what he has so kindly provided. That’s the reason we are here. The template for achieving this end is what has brought us here.”

The eminent professor of law regretted that despite the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015, high profile cases still drag for years in court.

He attributed this to some judges’ lack of firmness and their failure to strictly enforce the law.

“As I speak, there are 2,003 of such cases still on. They travel from the High Court to the Supreme Court and back to the High Court over an interlocutory matter, such as jurisdiction, defective charge, or other excuses.

“Good enough, the National Assembly passed this Act. Under normal circumstances, in a normal society, it ought to be effective and would have resulted in a revolutionary change. Cases would have been determined within nine months at the most. But that is not happening.

“Part of the causes is that judges are not taking control of their courts. They are still allowing Senior Advocates particularly to dominate them and almost create a situation where they’re taking dictations from them,” he added.

January 15, 2018
PACAC boss urges senators to publish salaries

CHAIRMAN of the Presidential Action Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC) Prof. Itse Sagay has urged the Senate to prove him wrong by publishing what the lawmakers collect as salaries and wages.

Speaking in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES yesterday, Sagay said he was unperturbed by the statement from the Senate calling him “loose cannon”, who should be “put in his right place” by Buhari.

Asked how he arrived at his figures, he said: “It is not a figure that I arrived at; it’s a figure that was printed (for me) and published on the internet with very convincing details.”

He added: “If the Senate says what I say is false, they should publish what is right. If these figures are being doubted, write to the Senate President asking him to deny or confirm them.”

He was asked what particular issue he had against the Senate in the context of the accusation by the lawmakers’ spokesperson that he employed every opportunity to address the public to disparage the Senate.

He replied: “Firstly, the minimum wage in Nigeria is N18,000 and the Senate is a group of people who actually vote their own minimum wage for themselves. The President does not determine his wage but the Senate takes a chunk of our budget and gives itself.”

“Secondly, their allowances: their basic salary in a year is N2,484,000. Then they collect hardship allowance which is 50 per cent of basic salary. Is there hardship in being a senator? They stay in air-conditioned offices with beautiful cushions and live a luxurious life and yet collect hardship allowance. Then, there’s constituency allowance, 200 per cent of basic salary; furniture allowance, 300 per cent of basic salary; newspaper allowance, 50 per cent of basic salary. So, our senators cannot afford to buy their own newspapers, Nigeria has to buy newspapers for them? Wardrobe allowance, 25 per cent of basic salary. So, they arrived in Abuja stack naked, meaning we have to clothe them.

“Recess allowance, 10 per cent of basic salary; Accommodation allowance, 200 per cent of basic salary; utilities, we don’t even know what that means, 30 per cent of basic salary.

“Domestic Staff, 75 per cent of basic salary; entertainment, 30 per cent of basic salary; personal assistant, 25 per cent of basic allowance; vehicle maintenance allowance, 75 per cent of basic allowance; leave allowance, 10 per cent of basic salary; severance gratuity, 300 per cent of basic salary; motor vehicle allowance, 400 per cent of basic salary.”

“Ninety per cent of Nigerian youth are jobless, involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and so on. Boko Haram came because the people are jobless and a few people are earning over N3 billion a year. One can’t be neutral, should Nigerians be deprived of all these by small elite who think of themselves alone and do not care about the country.”

September 8, 2017
Buhari must subvert judiciary in anti-graft war

A member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Femi Odekunle, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to use executive powers to subvert the shenanigans of the judiciary for the anti-graft war to succeed.

Odekunle, who accused the judiciary of shielding corrupt lawyers and judges, said the government needs to break the rule of law to win the fight against corruption.

He stated these when he appeared on Focus Nigeria, a programme on African Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday morning.

Odekunle said the judiciary has failed to support the federal government’s anti-graft war.

He said: “The only problem we are having is that we are not having the full cooperation of the legal profession in the matter (corruption). Lawyers and judges have this sentimental affiliation.

“The legal profession felt threatened by the stance of this administration on corruption, about the role of the legal profession, about the senior lawyers and about the judiciary.

“So there was a kind of development of some subconscious to protect their own. Perhaps there must be a way in which they can be reached to say the interest of the nation must come first.

“We have to find a way of breaking into this and one way of breaking into this is to engage in what I said. For example, somebody was quarrelling with me and I am being honest, without breaking the law. Fighting corruption involves roforofo fight.”

September 7, 2017
Bank chiefs to be tried for aiding corruption – Sagay

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay, said on Tuesday the body would push for the prosecution of bank chiefs who connived with looters to move and hide stolen funds.

He said the “monstrous epidemic of high profile corruption” could not have afflicted Nigeria without bankers’ collusion.

“They must not get away with it.

“In my own little way, we are going to push for the prosecution of such bank chiefs. They must be prosecuted,” Sagay said.

He said the legislature, senior lawyers, especial Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), and some “hostile and powerful judges” work against efforts to rid the country of corruption.

“There is a gang up of the powerful political, business and banking elite that is determined to frustrate the anti-corruption struggle,” he said.

The PACAC chairman delivered a public lecture in Lagos on the topic: The many afflictions of anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria. It was organised by the Nigerian Society of International Law.

Sagay said the National Assembly comprises self-serving lawmakers who allocated N125billion to themselves alone this year.

He said while the United States President earns $400,000 per annum, a Nigerian senator earns over $1.7million.

Sagay said beside a basic salary of N2.4million per month, they earn allowances such as hardship (50 per cent of basic salary), newspaper allowance (50 per cent), wardrobe allowance (25 per cent), entertainment (30 per cent), recess (10 per cent), and leave (10 per cent), among others.

The total allowances, he said, amounts to N29.5million per month and N3.2billion per annum.

“Perhaps the most notorious example of the legislators’ resistance to the war against corruption is the rejection of the right of the executive to choose the persons who will spearhead that struggle.

“The clear impression is created that Nigerian legislators are in office for themselves and not for the populace.

“Not surprisingly, the National Assembly has not passed a single bill for the promotion of anti-corruption war since it commenced business in July 2015. The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, the Proceeds of Crime Bill and the Special Criminal Court Bill remain in a virtual state of stagnation.

“What evidence do we need to establish the hostility of the eighth Assembly to the anti-corruption war?” Sagay said.

September 5, 2017
Fed Govt warns against plot to discredit PACAC

THE Federal Government has alerted the public over an orchestrated plot to discredit the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).

The plot, according to Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, by extension is also aimed at discrediting the government’s anti-corruption efforts, using “419ers” and their ilk.

In a statement yesterday, the minister said PACAC’s letter head and stamp as well as the signature of its chairman were being forged and used to con people within and outside the country.

The statement said: “In a particular instance, a letter purportedly signed by the PACAC Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, entitled: ‘’Presidential Investigation on Outstanding Federal Government External Contract Debts’’, and a form to be filled for that purpose, are being sent to unsuspecting persons to extort money from them and to portray the country’s highest advisory committee against corruption in bad light.

“The avoidance of doubt, the President has not mandated PACAC to investigate and recommend for payment some outstanding contract debts, as contained in the letter in question, neither has the Federal

Government approved the disbursement of $850 million in the 2017 budget for payment of the so-called external contract debt.

“We are, therefore, using this medium to inform Nigerians and foreigners alike to disregard such letters,’’ the minister said.

“He said Prof. Sagay and all the members of his committee are men and women of proven integrity who will never allow the committee to be used for any activity that is not within its mandate.”

July 26, 2017
FG raises alarm over plot to discredit PACAC

The Federal Government on Tuesday alerted the general public about an orchestrated plot to discredit the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC).

The plot, according to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Laid Mohammed, is also aimed at discrediting the government’s anti-corruption efforts, using “419ers” and their ilk.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the minister said PACAC’s letter head and stamp as well as the signature of its chairman are being forged and used to defraud people within and outside the country.

The statement said: ” In a particular instance, a letter purportedly signed by the PACAC Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, entitled: ‘Presidential Investigation on Outstanding Federal Government External Contract Debts,’ and a form to be filled for that purpose, are being sent to unsuspecting persons to extort money from them and to portray the country’s highest advisory committee against corruption in bad light.

”For the avoidance of doubt, the President has not mandated PACAC to investigate and recommend for payment some outstanding contract debts, as contained in the letter in question, neither has the Federal Government approved the disbursement of $850 million in the 2017 budget for payment of the so-called external contract debt.

”We are therefore using this medium to inform Nigerians and foreigners alike to disregard such letters.”

He said Prof. Sagay and all the members of his committee are men and women of proven integrity who would never allow the committee to be used for any activity that is not within its mandate.

July 25, 2017
PACAC seeks quick passage of anti-graft laws

Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Executive Secretary Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye has urged the Senate to pass pending bills on the anti-corruption war into law.

He said several of such bills have been pending for long without consideration.

Owasanoye spoke with reporters at a one-day Conference on Financial System Integrity Improvement, organised by PACAC, the Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI).

According to him, apart from the Mutual Legal Assistance law that has been passed, others such as the Proceeds of Crime Bill, have been “hanging”.

Owasanoye said: “They (senators) have passed the Mutual Legal Assistance legislation, which is to facilitate and improve exchange of information and evidence between states. The House of Representatives passed the Proceeds of Crime Act, which is going through the motions in the Senate.

“But we’ll admit that the process is very slow. This is with regard in particular to certain key legislations, such as Proceeds of Crime Bill, Witness Protection Bill, Whistleblower Bill, Crime Data Register Bill and the Money Laundering Bill, which have been hanging there.

“So, there is no doubt that there is merit in the criticism that pro-anti-corruption bills are not moving as quickly as we would love to see them move.”

The PACAC chairman urged the lawmakers to speed up the consideration of the bill on special crime court, which he said will enhance the anti-graft war when passed.

“We’ll like to see also the Special Crimes Court bill passed expeditiously, so that all of this would help improve the fight against corruption. All the bills are before the National Assembly.

“We would wish to see faster processing of such legislation. But, at the same time, we’re not necessarily saying they should compromise quality or standards,” he said.

July 3, 2017
PACAC Secretary: don’t blame NJC alone for corruption in judiciary

•Banks, Customs should declare assets, says Owasanoye

Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Executive Secretary Prof BolajiOwasanoye yesterday said the executive must complement the judiciary’s efforts to rid its ranks of corrupt elements.

He disagreed with PACAC Chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), who earlier said the judiciary was not on board in the anti-corruption fight.

Sagay had faulted the National Judicial Council (NJC) for recalling some judges accused of corruption, including Justice AdeniyiAdemola, whose case is on appeal.

Owasananoye believed the NJC’s statement blaming the Ministry of Justice for not being swift in prosecuting the judges had merit.

Justifying its decision, the NJC said the Ministry of Justice officials failed to turn up to compile and transmit records of appeal in Ademola’s case until the 45 days allowed for the exercise expired on May 22.

It claimed the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation only filed additional grounds of appeal last Tuesday, three days after the Council directed the judicial officers to resume duties.

Owasanoye, in a telephone interview with our correspondent yesterday, said the Ministry of Justice could have done better in the judges’ prosecution.

He said the onus was on Attorney-General of the Federation AbubakarMalami (SAN) to respond to NJC’s claims.

Owasanoye said: “Prof Sagay’s comments needs to be taken in context of whatever conversation he was having with the journalists. My view is that it is not only the judiciary that is responsible for the present state of affairs with regards to our prosecutions.

“The judiciary has taken certain steps. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Justice has not matched them. The statement issued by the judiciary vindicates my position.

“Clearly, the judiciary has taken certain steps. It was up to the Federal Ministry of Justice to follow through, but those steps had not been taken, and so we have the situation that we have right now.

“The judiciary has responded to say that the ball is in the court of the executive, especially the Ministry of Justice, to do what it said it was going to do.

“I totally and absolutely agree with the position of the judiciary. The judiciary has not said they have been completely above board, but they’re saying they’ve made some effort. Can those efforts be complemented? I agree that those efforts need to be complemented.”

Owasanoye, however, urged judges to show more firmness in the adjudication of corruption cases by not tolerating delays.

“Once we see that, the stretch – the interminable delays to prosecution should significantly reduce. We want to judges who will no longer tolerate nonsense, such as requests for adjournments for unimaginable reasons.

“Given the recent statement issued by the judiciary, the ball is in the court of the Ministry of Justice to respond.”

Owasanoye said there was an existing law which requires banks and customs officials to declare their assets annually.

June 12, 2017
Sani is bitter, frustrated – Sagay

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), on Thursday said Senator Shehu Sani’s call for dissolution of PACAC was borne out of “bitterness” and “frustration.”

He said the call was due to the Presidency’s refusal to remove the acting chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

The Senate refused to confirm Magu on two occasions, following which the Presidency, with PACAC’s support, backed the Acting EFCC chairman to remain in office.

Sagay said it was the Senators’ failed bid to truncate the anti-corruption war by removing Magu that has saddened the likes of Sani.

The eminent professor of law denied ever defending the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal who was indicted by a committee headed by Sani.

Sagay said: “I’m not surprised at Senator Sani’s effusions because they (Senators) are very, very frustrated by the manner in which we have insisted that Ibrahim Magu continue to head the EFCC.

“They had hoped that they would be able to run down the struggle against corruption and make it totally ineffective by removing Magu. We stood against it. We have succeeded, so they are angry.

“His response is one of bitterness that we have stood in the way of their attempt to run down the anti-corruption struggle.

“It is his frustration that he is expressing in that manner, so I’m not at all surprised.”

Sagay said it was not true that he defended Lawal.

“I never did. That is a blatant lie. I never defended Lawal.

“He (Senator Sani) should stop limiting his whole commitment to democracy on his little job as a sub-committee man that investigated Lawal.

“He had a life before then and he’s going to have a life after that. He should not limit all his existence on that little report that he wrote. That is over now.

“We’ve gone beyond that and he has to move on,” the PACAC chairman concluded.

April 20, 2017