Nigeria sets up special body to monitor corruption cases

In a bid to fast-track prosecution of high profile corruption cases in Africa's top economy, its National Judicial Council (NJC) has established a Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO) to monitor judges and courts handling corruption and financial crimes cases.
The NJC, headed by the country's chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen has appointed top lawyers and a retired head of Court of Appeal as members of the monitoring committee.
A retired president of the court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, will head the committee as its chairman.
Justice Salami retired under controversial circumstances, after the former President Goodluck Jonathan declined to reinstate him back to his position when he was cleared by the NJC of allegations that he conspired with politicians in then opposition party Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to manipulated judgment on election matters.
The establishment of the monitoring committee was sequel to a recent directive by the chief justice for the establishment of special courts for the purpose of handling corruption and financial crimes cases.
In a statement on Wednesday by the NJC Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, said the decision to constitute the committee and appoint Justice Salami as its chairman was taken Wednesday at the 82nd meeting of the council held in Abuja.
The committee, which has 15 members, will operate from the council’s secretariat in Abuja.
Among other functions, the committee will conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of proceedings at designated courts for financial and economic crimes nationwide.
Other members of the committee are the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah; the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice P.O. Nnadi; the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marsahal Umukoro; the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice M. L. Abimbola; President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN); former NBA President, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN); and another former NBA president, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN).
Others are Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) – both former NBA presidents; a member of the NJC, Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN); NJC Secretary, Gambo Saleh; and a representative of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Mrs. R.I Inga.
The Ministry of Justice and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) will also have a representative each on the committee.
The committee will also advise Justice Onnoghen on how to eliminate delays in the trial of corruption cases.
In addition, it will give feedback to the NJC on the progress of cases in the designated courts, conduct background checks on judges selected for the designated courts, and evaluate the performance of the designated courts.
Oye said the committee would drive the council’s new policy on the anti-corruption war.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria and the Court of Appeal were equally directed to fix special dates each week for hearing and determining appeals from such cases.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in the past accused the judiciary of not helping in the fight against corruption.