Sunday Ejike Benjamin and Atika Balal
7 July 2009
Abuja — The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) yesterday alleged corruption and malpractices in the Ministry of Justice and warned the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) against actions opposed to the fight against corruption.
The NBA President, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) who led other national officers of the association on a courtesy call on the minister said NBA has received complaints from its members on the, "scheme of operation in the ministry of Justice."
Akeredolu said NBA's National Executive Council met in Sokoto where they decried the corruption and malpractices inherent in the prison decongestion briefs at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The NBA president lamented that the manner in which the briefs are being handled with the lawyers involved by the ministry is of serious concern and is capable of undermining the intervention of the Federal Government. He alleged that lawyers are underpaid the agreed fees for the briefs from officers in charge at the ministry.
In his words: "We call on the Attorney General to put his own house in order in this regards. The frequent jail breaks and prison unrest is an indication of the need for further intervention. It is the view of the NBA that prison unrest is no longer only a justice issue but that of national security."
On the minister's role in the Halliburton scam, NBA urged the minister as the official leader of the Bar to "desist from actions which the Bar view as clog in the wheel of the crusade against corruption, such actions will not only demystified the office of the Attorney-General but embarrass the entire Bar."
Responding, the minister, who denied all the allegations levelled against his ministry by the NBA tasked the association to advise lawyers to formally write him on the alleged corruption on the prison decongestion for necessary actions and explained that the 10 percent deducted from lawyers' legal fees is tax.
Aondoakaa said government has approved N45 million naira to the Halliburton Investigative Panel headed by the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro to depart to France to collect evidence that will be used in prosecuting the case in court.
He said when the evidence is ready, "NBA will be invited because it is lawyers that will first raise objections. I would call you to appeal to our colleagues that the matter should be based on merit and not on technicalities."
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