Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, said the Federal Ministry of Justice had yet to prosecute a corruption case since 2015.
He added that the ministry had deliberately ended many corruption cases in the court by filing an application called Nolle Prosequi, which meant the government was not willing to prosecute them anymore.
According to him, the usage of the judiciary process must be stopped if the country was serious with the anti-corruption fight.
He spoke at the Anti-corruption Situation Room titled ‘State of anti-corruption in Nigeria: Assessment of 2021 and Agenda for 2022 organised by HEDA Resource Centers on Thursday.
Falana said, “The ministry of justice has not prosecuted one corruption case since 2015. The President must be told this. On the contrary, some of the cases are deliberately destroyed by the ministry through what they call prosecution Nolle Prosequi.
“That is, if somebody has stolen N20bn, an application would be filled in the court by the Attorney General saying we are not willing to prosecute. The use of this must stop if we want to fight corruption, let everyone be taken to court and convince the court that he has no case to answer.”
Falana also said without the passage of all pending anti-corruption bills at the National Assembly, the regime would not be taken seriously with it fight against corruption.
He listed some of the bills as the ‘Proceed of Crime Bill, the Witness Protection Bill and the Whistleblower Bill among others.
He said, “Without the passage of all pending Anti-graft bills at the National Assembly, this regime cannot be taken seriously in its fight against corruption.”
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