Ebonyi asks FG to establish anti-graft courts

By PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI – Ebonyi State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Ben Igwenyi, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to establish anti-corruption courts nationwide  to ensure quick disposal of graft cases pending in the regular  courts.

Igwenyi noted that the number of cases in regular courts had militated against quick determination of matters bordering on corruption, arguing that once the court was established, corrupt practices among public and private office holders would be reduced.

At a briefing in Abakaliki,  on his plan to improve the dispensation of justice in the state, the commissioner said the merger of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would place the nation in a better position to fight corruption.

Igwenyi said although the agencies might have their different operational codes, their foremost objective was to fight corruption in the country.

He said: “We should have anti-corruption courts to prosecute all cases of corruption because allowing corruption cases to be taken to the regular courts, where we have several cases pending,  delays the hearing of these cases.

The cases willtake two or three years until people will forget about them  and that gives room for people to insinuate that money had exchanged hands.

“In the developed world, it is not so. If you are arrested on corruption charges, the whole world gets to hear about it and before two to three months, the fate of the accused would have been determined.

“The Federal Government should merge EFCC and ICPC and set up an anti-corruption court to handle corruption cases in the country so that there will be expeditious trial of corruption cases. It makes people know that the government is serious. From the look of things, it is like EFCC is more active compared to ICPC. If they are merged, they will produce a very good result.”