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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Senate empowers EFCC to prosecute corrupt office holders

By Emmanuel Aziken

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is to take primary role in the prosecution of indicted political office holders under proposals adopted by the Senate that stripped the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, of that duty.

The Senate’s move came at the commencement of deliberations on the report on the EFCC (Establishment) bill, yesterday.

The Senate, however, deferred consideration till today of a proposal in the bill seeking to strip individuals believed to be in possession of property believed to be above their income levels.

The proposals were articulated in the report on the bill jointly prepared by the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption and the Committee on Judiciary.

The report on the EFCC Amendment Bill sponsored by Senator Sola Akinyede (PDP, Ekiti South) has also endorsed a civil forfeiture plan that would compel the forfeiture of “money, stocks, property acquired in breach” of the provisions of the anti-graft law.

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