The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna State Branch has identified review of existing laws to include compulsory forfeiture of illicit wealth of convicted corrupt persons to government coffers as ways through which corruption can be ended in Nigeria.
NBA noted that corruption thrives because
proceeds of the crime from guilty and convicted corrupt persons are not usually
recover and forfeited to government.
This was contained in a 11-point communique
issued at the end of her 2016 law week in Kaduna.
The communique signed by the Kaduna State Branch Chairman of NBA, Sherrif
Ndasule said the legal profession must contribute its quota by working hard to
change the mindset of the Nigerian citizenry and re -engineering their
perceptions of the concept of corruption and instill in children core moral
values.
The Bar also called for the training and
retraining of judges and lawyers to broaden and update their appreciation of
corruption related issues in the legal profession.
It expressed its support for plea bargaining
as a useful tool in the fight against corruption, adding that society would
benefit as it will allow for transparency in running government at all levels.
In the same vein, the communique called on the
government to equally improve the capacity of the various law enforcement
agencies in the area of investigation of corruption cases.
Part of the communique reads; “There is need for training and retraining of our
judges and lawyers to broaden and update their appreciation of corruption
related issues in the legal profession.
“Corruption thrives because we do not recover
the proceeds of the crime of corruption from the guilty and convicted corrupt
persons; our laws must be reviewed to include compulsory forfeiture of illicit
wealth of convicted corrupt persons.
“Plea bargaining is a useful tool in the fight
against corruption. The society will benefit as it will allow for forfeiture of
properties acquired with illicit wealth for transparent use by the government
of the day.
“Lawyers must adhere to the code of ethics of
their profession in the discharge of our duty to their clients and government
must provide adequate machinery to strengthen and aid justice delivery system.
“The NBA should as a matter of urgency at the
national and branch levels set up and strengthen mechanisms involving courage
individuals to monitor and fight corruption in our courts and legal profession
in general as well as follow up reported cases to ensure corrupt individuals
whether from thebar or bench are brought to book.”
The Bar association, while observing that
corruption was endemic, stressed that Nigerians must take very pragmatic and
decisive steps against the scourge to reduce it to the barest minimum,
otherwise it will kill the nation.
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