Judiciary frustrating stolen fund recovery efforts – VP’s aide

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The Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, on Tuesday, came hard on Nigerian lawyers and judges on Twitter. He alleged that they were frustrating efforts by the government to recover stolen funds.

President Muhammadu Buhari had pledged to recover funds stolen by the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Indeed, the President disclosed that a substantial amount had been recovered.

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party are currently facing trial for allegedly misappropriating funds allocated to the purchase of arms and ammunition for the Nigerian Armed Forces.

On social media, many Nigerians have called on the government to hastily prosecute those indicted and ensure that every kobo stolen is recovered.

Without making reference to any ongoing or concluded litigation, Akande, in his tweets, accused judges and lawyers of using legal technicalities to sabotage efforts to recover stolen assets. The “tricks”, he said, were not aimed at “affirming innocence or guilt” but to stall trial.

In a series of tweets that stirred a controversy over government’s sincerity to fight corruption, the spokesperson said, “Government’s attempts to recover assets, in accordance with law, is often faced with dilatory tactics by lawyers with the collusion of judges.

“These tactics are often not directed at reaching conclusion and affirming innocence or guilt but at stalling trials indefinitely, thus denying the state and the accused the opportunity of a judicial verdict. This has to stop,” he said.

Akande said stolen assets were needed to meet promises made to Nigerians by the current administration. He regretted that the inability to recover such had an impact on the masses.

“Funds illegally transferred from public coffers to private pockets are required to deliver social and economic justice,” he tweeted.

The media aide had, in previous tweets, called on the judiciary to improve on its internal system in order to ensure a timely trial.

“The ability to enforce contractual obligations and resolve disputes is an essential consideration for intending investors, local and foreign.

“The Judiciary must, however, play its role in ensuring that its internal processes are promptly improved and made ready to expedite trials. Delays, in several cases, are consequences of shoddy investigations, outmoded rules of procedure or unprofessional practices of counsel,” he said.

Akande’s tweets generated a heated debate on the actual cause of the country’s lacklustre prosecution. Some social media activists who engaged him on the issue wondered why the government could not do away with judges who were obstructing the trial of accused persons.

Tweeting at Akande, one Kit Koot said, “Recently, they sacked some corrupt judges in Ghana. What stops the government from doing the same thing here? Investigate these guys and sack the corrupt ones among them.

“There has to be a way out of this. We all know that this is the situation the country finds itself. But excuses are not acceptable.”

The PDP and the All Progressives Congress have been trading words over issues bordering on corruption.

The PDP had, on Sunday, cried out, challenging President Buhari to expand the anti-corruption war beyond its fold and also probe his campaign funding, as well as other historical financial misappropriations, including the ones that took place during the days of military dictatorship.

On the allegations, social media users are divided along party lines. While those who are sympathetic to the opposition party alleged that the Federal Government was on a witch-hunt mission, supporters of the APC are saying something different.

For the latter, the PDP has yet to get the punishment it deserves for the pains it allegedly inflicted on Nigerians in the 16 years it was in charge of the country.

Source: Punch