Corruption: Clark demands trial of Odili, Ibori, Kalu, Fani Kayode, Bafarawa others
A former Minister of Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has called for the speedy trial of 14 former governors and two former ministers standing trial for alleged corruption. He said there was no reason why the courts cannot determine the fate of the 16 high-profile cases within six to 12 months.
Clark, in a November 2, 2011 petition to the Chief Justice of the Federation, Dahiru Musdapher , listed the ex-governors and ministers as James Ibori, Senator Saminu Turaki, Peter Odili, Michael Botmang, Joshua Dariye, Boni Haruna, and Rasheed Ladoja.
Others are Jolly Nyame, Attahiru Bafarawa, Adamu Abdullahi, Lucky Igbinedion, Ayo Fayose, Chimaroke Nnamani, and Orji Uzor Kalu.
The affected ex- Ministers are Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and Babalola Borishade. Clark asked the CJN to prevail on the courts to dispense with the cases of these former public officers to prove that Nigeria is committed to anti-corruption crusade.
He said a situation whereby over 50 high profile cases of corruption levelled against some former governors, ministers and legislators and other high profile government functionaries have been pending in various Federal High Courts and Court of Appeal for over four years due to corrupt practices both in the judiciary and at the Bar, is most unacceptable because it is definitely responsible for placing Nigeria at the bottom index of corrupt countries in the world such as Somalia; Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc.
“You may wish to know some of these high profile cases lying dormant in some of our courts for the past two to four years. In listing these cases, I have decided to state or mention some of the offences they are facing in the various courts for which they have taken plea and granted bail.”
Clark demanded timeline for the treatment of the pending cases of the ex-governors.
He added: “Your Lordship, as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, you should direct the various courts handling these high profile corrupt cases mentioned above, to resuscitate and give accelerated hearing as “justice delayed is justice denied."