Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa has backed calls for the establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) to help boost the fight against graft.
Bawa made the call during a one-day hybrid conference on IACC on Thursday, March 31, 2022 organised by the HEDA Resource Centre in partnership with Integrity Initiative International themed ‘Instituting International Anti-Corruption Court: Issues, Challenges Opportunities for Engagement’.
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According to Bawa, the establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) will help improve judicial systems globally and hold corrupt individuals accountable.
“Clearly, corruption has become more transnational. Hence, the need for an International Anti-corruption Court to hold perpetrators accountable and spur governments to improve national justice systems,” he stated.
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“Although, concerns about the political feasibility and effectiveness of the Court has been raised in several quarters yet we are of the firm belief that an International Anti-corruption Court will work to reduce corruption by nation’s leaders who may be reluctant to permit enforcement of extant criminal legislation against their cronies and themselves.
“We, therefore, believe an international anti-corruption corps will lend benefits to the fight against corruption and financial crimes not only in Nigeria, but globally. It promises to be an avenue for nations to demonstrate their seriousness in the fight against corruption resulting in curtailing the culture of impunity while providing a platform to enforce anti-corruption laws and punish corrupt leaders.
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“As the agency charged with the responsibility of enforcing all economic and financial crimes laws in the nation, we endorse the setting of an anti-corruption court. This is premised on the firm belief that such a court will aid in the investigation and prosecution of grand corruption which cut across various jurisdictions, especially in situations where the suspect may have escaped to other climes.
“It is good to know that there’s no hiding place for those who loot national treasuries because they can be held accountable,” Bawa further stated.
