ICPC Boss Advises Lawyers to Stop Frustrating Prosecution of Corruption Cases

 

Nta said the action not only does a lot of damage to cases before the court, but also runs down the integrity of the judiciary.

He gave the advice while speaking at a Media-Roundtable on the theme, "Promoting Ethics and Integrity Within The Courts System- Towards Citizens Access To Justice", organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Abuja.

The ICPC boss who was represented by the Director of Legal Services of the commission, Mrs Christiana Onuogu, said the court was a major stakeholder in the fight against corruption.

Nta, while urging legal luminaries to always advice their clients to tell the truth so as to ensure easy and quick dispensation of justice, argued that delay tactics employed by lawyers in cases before the court should not be encouraged.

"Let me use this medium to charge all Nigerians to join in the moves to fight corruption head on.

"I also want to call on the authorities concerned for the appointment of Assistant Judges in the Nigerian judicial system to help substantive Judges in the dispensation of justice," Nta added.

On his part, Former Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly House Committee on Judiciary, Barrister Babatunde Ogala, described corruption in the country as endemic, adding that the worst that can happen to anyone is to be labeled a criminal.

Ogala condemned the recent fuel subsidy scam which involved children of top political actors in the country, adding that the judiciary have done creditably well.

He advised the Lagos State government to provide necessary facilities to judges and the state judiciary staff to do their job effectively.

Ogala advocated the constant review of the Lagos State laws so as to meet with the international standard.

"Where laws are obsolete, justice cannot be well dispensed.

"The appointment of judges is becoming political and most of the judges so appointed are incompetent," he added.

Also commenting, the Chief Registrar (CR) of the Lagos State High Court, Ganiyu Safari, maintained that the Lagos State judiciary is doing everything possible to ensure that those who are appointed as judges are people of proven integrity.

According to him, "The duty of cleansing the system lies in the hands of all of us.

"Judiciary in Lagos State have been doing everything to ensure that corruption is fought to a standstill in the country."

Safari advised lawyers to ensure that they do things right.

Guest speaker at the occasion, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) in a paper presentation entitled, "The role of the judiciary in combating corruption in Nigeria" described, 

corruption as the biggest and most embarrassing challenge facing the country today.

The guest speaker, who was represented by Matthew Burkaa, said, "Corruption is indeed a serious threat on our economic and democratic development. 

“When the rule of law is weak, corruption will remain a nagging problem.

“Corruption in the Justice sector is a keystone to corruption throughout society".