Fagbemi Wants State Pardon Provisions Removed from Constitution for Graft Felons

•Warns agencies against shoddy investigations

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called for the removal of the provisions of state pardon for corruption convicts from the country’s constitution.

Fagbemi predicated his call on the grounds that when corrupt officials or individuals were made to face the full weight of the law, by serving out their full prison term, it would discourage others from engaging in corrupt practices.

The AGF warned law enforcement agencies against shoddy investigations, stressing that prosecution agencies must have solid facts before inviting suspect for questioning.

He spoke yesterday in Abuja at a roundtable organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for State Attorneys-General (AGs).

“I will suggest in our next constitution review exercise that we expunge those found guilty of corruption from benefiting from powers of ‘Prerogative of Mercy’ to serve as a deterrent to others,” Fagbemi said.

In a statement by Special Assistant to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr Kamarudeen Ogundele, the minister also observed that the cooperation of all stakeholders, especially the AGs, was crucial in the fight against corruption.

He advised the AGs to eschew nepotism, political witch-hunting, rivalry, and bigotry in the fight against corruption, just because they wanted to please their governors. He said there should be no basis for rationalising corruption or crimes.

Fagbemi said the AGs’ legal opinions on cases must be based on the facts, adding, “We should not give in to public sentiments. In Nigeria, we are polarised along political lines.”

The AGF advised participants and anti-graft agencies to conduct thorough investigations of cases before arresting suspects to avoid media trial.

He stated, “Let us be thorough and take our time before inviting someone for questioning. Don’t do a shoddy job and be quick to say we have caught a big fish. You will catch a big fish. If it is two or three big fish you are able to get in a year and you are thorough, it is alright.”