The Civil Societies Organisation has urged the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to ensure that any person indicted or convicted of corruption is subjected to a psychiatric examination.
It added that those convicted should be meant to stay in the sanatorium for at least six months.
The board of trustees chairman of CSOs in Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Harry who was the guest speaker at the event commemorating the 2019 African Union (AU) Anti-corruption day held at the ICPC office in Uyo argued that it was abnormal for one through a corrupt means to acquire outrageous wealth at the expense of the poor and dying masses.
Speaking on the theme, “Opportunity cost of Corruption and the value of asset recovery,” Udoh stated that it was high time the anti graft agency started chronicling the names of high profile corrupt people in a ‘national black book’ so that people in the near future can assess the book and know the corrupt people in the society saying that such would serve as a deterrent to other intending corrupt people as their bad names would never be erased on the sands of time.
Udoh who called for an establishment of a special court that would hasten the adjudication of corruption matters urged the two anti-graft agencies of ICPC and EFCC to collaborate to nip in the bud of corruption that is ravaging the country.
Udoh reasoned that undue delay in the trial of corruption cases could give corrupt people ample time and opportunities to wriggle themselves out of the matter or better still, allow the case to die a natural death.
He therefore called on governments at all levels to open up governance to allow citizens’ participation
and inputs on issues that affect them.
His words, “Those indicted and convicted of corruption charges should be made to face psychiatric examination. You just might be shocked to discover a certain level of psychosis among these people.
“I wonder what someone who stole N10 billion would do with it.
“It will be good too to see more high profile convictions to serve as a deterrent to others. 10 high profile convictions in 17 years, might seem a huge accomplishment, especially when we consider the very challenging nature of the fight against corruption in this land.where often corruption vigorously fights back coupled with loopholes in our laws that enable offenders to wriggle out of the grasp of enforcers.
“Also special courts that would enhance speedy adjudication of corruption matters should be established”
Speaking earlier the ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye represented by commissioner of ICPC, Mr. Shola Shodipe described corruption as ill wind that blows no one or the economy any good stressing that the commission would do everything within the ambit of law to stamp out corruption in every strata.
Owasanoye also disclosed that the Commission intended using the provisions of its law, especially on ‘non-conviction based asset forfeiture’ to deny corrupt persons use of whatever they have stolen from Nigerian people and make more resources available for development.
He further disclosed that the Commission through the Constituency Project Tracking Group has been tracking the execution of constituency capital projects across the country so as to ensure that the projects funded by the Federal government were properly executed and delivered to the communities they were meant for.
He noted that the effort has started yielding result as some hospital equipment such as dialysis machines, Incubators etc meant to be given to a constituency in Akwa Ibom state were diverted to the home of an individual but the commission was able to trace, recover and deliver the equipment to the right hospital.
Owasanoye therefore urged individuals to avail the commission of information bordering on Tax fraud, illicit financial flows, money laundering and any other form of corruption for further investigations in order to collectively rid the country of corruption.
