Falana, in a statement on
Sunday, faulted the allegations by some lawyers that the order obtained by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from a magistrate’s court to detain
some of the suspects for 14 days had no legal basis.
Human rights lawyer
explained that the order of detention obtained from the magistrate’s court,
through an ex parte application, was in strict compliance with the provisions
of sections 293 to 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. He added
that the suspects were at liberty to ask for bail under the law.
“As corruption is already
mobilising to fight back, the Buhari administration should ignore the reckless
campaign of calumny of certain people, who have lost their sense of shame,”
Falana said.
He noted that as far as the
said critics were concerned, “the suspects should be left alone to enjoy their
loot while soldiers are losing their precious lives due to lack of adequate
weapons”.
The senior advocate urged
the Federal Government to open a dedicated account for the warehousing of
recovered loot, which he advised, should be used to provide equipment for the
Armed Forces and take care of pressing public needs.
Falana added, “The anti-graft
agencies should disregard the cheap blackmail, speed up the investigation and
charge all indicted suspects to court while the courts are enjoined to conduct
the trial of the suspects under the ACJA, which requires that the trials be
conducted day by day.
“The Federal Government
should open a dedicated account to warehouse the recovered loot with a view to
using the fund to provide equipment for the Armed Forces, create jobs for our
Army of unemployed graduates and fix our dilapidated public schools, hospital
and roads,” part of the statement read.
Punch
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