Punch reports:
The Federal Government
has begun moves to establish special courts to try corruption-related cases as
part of the efforts to fight graft in the country.
Punch's investigations on Friday revealed that President Muhammadu
Buhari was opting for a comprehensive onslaught against the problem of
corruption in the country.
It was learnt that the
President had concluded plans to submit a bill on the planned special
anti-corruption courts to the National Assembly.
The Punch had on Monday
exclusively reported that the Presidency had commenced the process of
identifying fearless judges that would be saddled with the responsibility of
prosecuting corrupt persons.
It was also gathered
that the Federal Government was planning to establish 37 of the Special Courts
to try corruption in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the 36 states of
the Federation.
A top operative of one
of the anti-graft agencies, who confided in one of our correspondents, said
that the Federal Government decided to set up the planned special courts
because of the long delay by regular courts in deciding corruption-related
cases.
It was further gathered
that the President recently made a demand for 36 judges with the requisite
integrity and boldness to decide cases in line with the law and not according
to influence of the people or the pecuniary gains that come with associating
with them.
The anti-graft officer
said, “The President is being careful; he does not want people to do a
wishy-washy job for him.
“Buhari is pressing for
the establishment of special courts to try corruption cases. He wants the
courts to be established in Abuja and the 36 states of the federation so that
they can fast-track such cases.”
Investigations further
revealed that the Federal Government had contacted the National Judicial
Council to provide judges with impeccable reputation to preside over the
planned courts.
It was gathered that
the NJC released the names of 100 judges from the 36 states of the federation
to the leadership of three major anti-corruption bodies in the country after an
internal process of selection.
The judges were
screened by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the
Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission and the
Department of State Security on Tuesday.
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