FG set for looters trial, as CJN, Sagay’s committee hold secret meeting

THE administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly at the final stage of the preparation towards charging suspected looters of treasury in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan to court, Thenigerialawyer has been reliably told.

With the minimal confidence the current administration reportedly has in the existing anti-corruption commission, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption, headed by Professor Itse Sagay, is reportedly commissioned to co-ordinate the imminent legal battle in the prosecution of the said suspects.

After meeting with both the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Sagay’s committee, last week, had its final leg of meetings before kick-starting the planned prosecution of suspected looters and recovery of alleged looted fund.

The committee met with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, last Tuesday, at the Supreme Court.

The marathon secret meeting began in the afternoon and spanned hours, according to sources privy to it.

It was learnt that the first two weeks in October may see the first batch of arraignment taking place, when an Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice was expected to be in office.
Every permutation points in the direction of Mr Femi Falana occupying the office.

Collaborative efforts have also been on to hand-pick outstanding judges to handle the planned prosecution.
The effort had yielded little positive result with many shortlisted judges failing integrity test.
It was learnt the meeting with the CJN was basically to identify judges that could handle the alleged looters’ prosecution without compromise.

Sagay told Thenigerialawyer of the search for the said judges, collaborating with security agencies.
Names reportedly exchanged hands at the meeting.

With the trial expected to hold nationwide considering that almost all the targetted former public office holders are spread across the states, the meeting with the CJN was also reportedly primed to facilitate the identification of the “anti-corruption” judges in the 36 states.

The issue of judges granting ex parte application for perpetual injunction halting prosecution or stopping arrest of suspects in corruption cases, was also said to have been discussed at the meeting.

It was learnt that it wasn’t unlikely that a new administrative directive on the issue of injunction would soon be out to ensure that the anti-corruption war wasn’t scuttled using legal technicalities.

It could not be confirmed if President Buhari had passed the list of alleged looters said to have been made available to him by the Western world, to the Sagay’s committee.