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High Courts frustrate ICPC -Akanbi
COSMAS EKPUNOBI,
Abuja
BUFFETTED
by allegations of selective arrests and low performance, Chairman of the
Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC),
Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd) yesterday came down hard on some state High Court
judges, accusing them of frustrating investigation of those already charged with
corruption.
Some of the judges he said are also being
investigated for corruption.
Justice Akanbi also told the House of
Representatives Committee on Anti-corruption and Ethics that it was
investigating the circumstances leading to the withdrawal of what had been
discovered to be a frivolous petition against the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) by six Nigerians.
Justice Akanbi, who also said the ICPC had
established 92 anti-corruption units in various government ministries and
parastatals to beef up its operations, however, lamented the inadequate funding
of the commission.
Appearing before the House Committee
yesterday, the ICPC boss said the activities of some state High Court judges had
continued to frustrate the operation of the commission, even as he canvassed a
special unit in the Federal High court specificially handle cases of corruption
with despatch.
"State judges who are handling these cases
are not committed to this cause, he alleged.
"Some of them have their loyalty in the
state level and this has made our work difficult" he added.
On funding for ICPC, justice Akanbi
remarked that the issue had also continued to cripple the operation of the
commission which had since inception investigated 76 individuals, including
minister and judges of alleged corruption.
According to him, it was unfortunate that
despite the complaint of the commission of poor funding, the Federal Government
in this year’s budget approved only N481 million as against the N500 million
voted for the commission in the 2003 budget.
The interactive session between the
committee and ICPC which was at the instance of the former, was largely informed
by what the Hon. Ndu Essien led committee called alleged selective arrested and
administering of hit-and-run justice by the anti-graft commission.
According to Justice Akanbi, the ICPC will
soon quiz six youths over their withdrawal of an earlier frivolous petition
against the NDDC.
He said that the commission will
investigated the allegation to ascertain if the six petitioness actually lied
against NDDC
The youths were said to ahve sent what was
later discovered to be a frivolous petition against the commission only to
withdraw to them for no specific season.
Hon. Essien, in his remarks, said the
committee had been inundated with allegations of selective arrests and "hit
and-run justice" against the ICPC.
He, however, promised improved funding for the commission
in the 2005 budget.
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