EFCC names Deputy Senate President Anti-corruption Ambassador

dimeji akinloye

April 19, 2016 7:51 PM

He appealed for adequate funding of the EFCC as well as swift passage of all the anti-corruption Bills before the Upper Chamber.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, April 19, named Deputy Senate President,

The National Assembly (NASS) Liason Officer of the EFCC, Mr. Suleiman Bakari, stated this when the agency representatives paid a courtesy visit to Ekweremadu.

“As an Anti-Corruption Ambassador, It is therefore Your Excellency, to on behalf of my Acting chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu and the entire management and staff of the EFCC, decorate you as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador and formally present this frame, as a token of our appreciation to your person and office, and as a symbol of institutional partnership between the EFCC and the National Assembly,” Bakari said.

In his response, Ekweremadu called for the establishment of Special Anti-Corruption Courts to reduce the burden on regular courts and fast-track trial of corruption cases - this buttresses human right lawyers, Femi Falana's advocacy for special court for anti-corruption cases.

“I have been an advocate of special courts for the trial of corruption cases and I believe that other countries, who have enacted laws establishing such, are not fools because there are benefits to be derived therefrom," Ekweremadu said.

“The idea is to expedite trial to make sure that those who are involved in corruption matters will have their day in court.

“When we have special courts, just as we have the National Industrial Court, such courts will do better than they are doing now. The establishment of special courts is not just something that will be done by an Act of the National Assembly.

“We have to amend the constitution to bring it about under section 6, for the purpose of trying corruption cases.”

READ: Ekeremadu accuses FG of cheating Igbos

He advised the EFCC to give ultimate regard to the rule of law in its anti-corruption crusade, stressing that it must give room for fair hearing and treatment of accused persons.

dimeji akinloye