Scale of justice

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos South West Nigeria has granted the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), “to seek order of the court to direct and compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to prosecute some principal officers of the National Assembly alleged to have been involved in the padding and stealing of about N481bn from the 2016 budget.”

Based on this court order the Lagos-based human rights group can now pursue its case against the Federal Government to publish the reports of the investigation into the allegations of the budget padding and prosecution of indicted officers of the National Assembly.

The court also permitted SERAP to seek an order compelling the Federal Government to “closely monitor and scrutinize the spending of N131 billion (accrued from increased oil bench mark) allocated for additional non-constituency projects expenditure, to remove the possibility of corruption.”

The Presiding judge Mohammed Idris made the order after listening to the argument of an application filed and argued before the court by SERAP counsel, Mrs Joke Fekumo.

Justice Idris has adjourned till 26th January, 2018 when the motion on notice as to why the reports by anti-corruption agencies on the investigation into the alleged budget padding should be published and why indicted officers should be prosecuted .

SERAP contended that “Unless the principal officers of the National Assembly indicted in the alleged padding of the 2016 budget are prosecuted and any stolen public funds recovered, the Federal Government will not be able to stop padding of future budgets.

Akin Kuponiyi [email protected]