Malami: Buhari’s Anti-Corruption Fight On Course … No Fear Or Favour

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN, has said that the current government is not selective in the prosecution of cases.

Malami disclosed this while featuring on a Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) personality programme , One on One, on Friday.

The programme was monitored by THE WHISTLER.

The AGF stated that the government goes after corrupt officials irrespective of their status or whatever political bloc they belong.

He also added that contrary to what obtained under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration, trial in court were no longer been unnecessarily delayed.

“If you are talking about being selective…I think the key indicator that should be factored to mind are fundamentally two- an indicator of what obtained before this government comes in place and what is the prevailing circumstances as far as this government is concerned.

“Before coming in place of this government, the conclusion is undeniable; that high profile cases involving higher personalities were not moving an inch for over a period of ten years or more; those cases were undermined in terms of speedy determination, because of the personalities involved.

“Against that background, what obtains now?

“As far as this government is concerned, no fear or favor as far as prosecution of high profile cases are concerned,” he added.

He also explained that his office has established certain judicial reforms which had ensured speedy trials, judicial autonomy, among others.

“In terms of reforms, we have succeeded in bringing about a lot of policies, driving a lot of legislation that eventually translated into justice sector reform and the effect of it is that we are now visibly seeing,” he said.

Regarding the rule of law, Malami noted that government submits to judicial processes, ensuring that ” associated rights embedded in the government are indeed complied with wholeheartedly.”

“For example, when a judgement is passed, the government has multiple options; an option to appeal, an option of wholehearted submission to the judgement where the government decides not to appeal against the judgement, an option of filing an application for setting aside the judgement where the position of the law allows; and option among others, of filing an application for the varying of the judgement and orders where the rule of law allows for the variation,” he said.

But Malami stressed that when it comes to acts or vices threatening the nation, government would always put public interest ahead of individual interests.

“The public interest in all circumstances as it relates to Governnace, is the major key component of consideration as it relates to administrative processes and governance.

“If an individual threaten the country, the question is whether you allow such threat to manifest by way of causing public disorder or perhaps take steps that would ensure the continuity and existence of the Government as an institution,” he mentioned.

Talking about recovery of looted funds, the OAGF maintained that the current administration has made appreciable progress, adding that the funds now make up part of the national budget.

He also stated that a unit in his office preserves and handles assets recovery management, with efficiency and transparency pending when a legal framework for such is enacted.

“As a Government interested in transparency, we took steps to establish asset recovery and management unit in the OAGF and and then working with all the stakeholders, that is , enforcement agencies.

“And I am happy to state also that for the first time, the recovered asset constitutes a component of our national budget,” he said.