[PREMIUM TIMES] Group asks ICPC to investigate Nigerian judge accused of corruption in Gambia Joseph Wowo was dismissed by the Gambian government. A civil society organisation, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute the disgraced Nigerian judge, Joseph Wowo, who was sacked as acting Chief Justice of the Gambia. Mr. Wowo, who was the also the President of the Gambia Court of Appeal, was caught on tape negotiating for a N2.5 million (500,000 dalasi) bribe from a Gambian-based Dutch businessman over a land dispute case. PREMIUM TIMES had published copies of the recording. Olarenwaju Suraju, the Chairman of CSNAC, says by this act of corruption, Mr. Wowo has tainted the image of the country. “Acts of gross misconduct such as exhibited by Mr Joseph Wowo who ought to be a person of integrity and respectability, representing a good image for Nigeria, rather, he has exported corruption to the Gambia. Though, Mr Joseph Wowo has been unceremoniously dismissed, the embarrassment caused to Nigeria by this shameful act is unimaginable,” he wrote in the petition. He called on the ICPC to invoke the power conferred upon it by Section 13 of the ICPC Act to investigate the matter with a view of prosecuting the disgraced judge. Section 13 reads: “Any person who receives anything which has been obtained by means of an act constituting a felony or misdemeanour, or by means of any act done at a place outside Nigeria would have constituted a felony or misdemeanour and which is an offence under the laws in force in the place where it was done, knowing the same to have been so obtained, is guilty of a felony”. Mr. Suraju asked the ICPC to use its local and international networks to bring Mr. Wowo to justice. According to him, this will send a “strong warning to Nigerians living outside the country that acts of illegality will not be tolerated, whether committed locally or outside the country.” Meanwhile, the Gambian government seems unwilling to share details of the case with the public. The Gambian Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Amie Joof, declined to comment on the status of the case against Mr. Wowo when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES. “I’m not at liberty to comment on the case at this moment,” she said over the phone.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 07:22:31 +0000
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