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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Code of Conduct Tribunal seeks approval to become National Anti-Corruption Court

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal is pursuing an executive bill to transform it into a National Anti-Corruption Court.
  • The proposed court would have seven judicial divisions, 37 judges and jurisdiction over cases brought by anti-graft agencies, other institutions and civil society groups.
  • The tribunal says summary trials would conclude corruption cases within six weeks of arraignment, while inadequate case inflow and funding remain challenges.

Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal is asking the National Assembly to approve its transformation into a full-fledged National Anti-Corruption Court, a move intended to speed up corruption trials.

Yahaya Laraski, the tribunal’s Acting Director of Litigation, said the proposed legislation was being pursued as an Executive Bill through the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The new court would operate through seven judicial divisions across Nigeria and assign 37 judges to corruption cases.

The new Chairman is pressing the National Assembly, through the Attorney General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, for an Act, as an Executive Bill, to change the name to ‘National Anti-Corruption Court’ as a full-fledged Court with seven Judicial Divisions across Nigeria, to be trying all cases of Anti-Corruption.

· Yahaya LaraskiLaraski described the proposed legislation and the court’s structure.

“The new Chairman is pressing the National Assembly, through the Attorney General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, for an Act, as an Executive Bill, to change the name to ‘National Anti-Corruption Court’ as a full-fledged Court with seven Judicial Divisions across Nigeria, to be trying all cases of Anti-Corruption,” Laraski said.

The proposed court would hear cases filed by anti-graft agencies and other relevant institutions, as well as civil society organizations. Laraski said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Public Complaints Commission and National Human Rights Commission would be able to bring cases before it.

Thus, there will be 37 judges and all anti-graft agencies (EFCC, ICPC, CCB, PCC, NHRC etc.) as well as Civil Society groups will be free to prosecute their cases before the Court.

· Yahaya LaraskiHe explained who would be able to bring cases before the proposed court.

“It will be a court of summary trial, whereby all cases must be dispensed with within a period of six weeks from the arraignment date,” he said.

Laraski also outlined changes under the tribunal’s new leadership. It has recovered two of three estate properties allegedly sold illegally: the chairman’s official residence and the North-Eastern States Zonal Office in Bauchi. The chairman’s status has been elevated to that of a Federal High Court chief judge, while tribunal members now hold the status of Federal High Court judges.

It will be a court of summary trial, whereby all cases must be dispensed with within a period of six weeks from the arraignment date.

· Yahaya LaraskiLaraski outlined the proposed timetable for corruption cases.

Seven new departments have been created, pending staff promotions have been implemented and 13 new allowances introduced. Staff members have attended more than 20 capacity-building training programs within a year, Laraski said.

He identified inadequate case inflow and funding as major challenges. The tribunal can adjudicate only cases referred at the discretion of the Code of Conduct Bureau, he said.

Furthermore, all pending staff promotions have been effected, while 13 fresh allowances have been introduced. The staff within one year have attended over 20 streams of Capacity Building Training Programs.

· Yahaya LaraskiHe described personnel and training changes at the tribunal.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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