What President Buhari's 2016 Anti-Corruption Bills Seeks to Achieve - Senate President Reveals
Earlier
today, President Muhammadu Buhari presented two executive bills as part
of improved legal framework to fight corruption. The Senate has now
explained what the bill entails.
President Buhari at his office in Aso Rock
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday requested the National
Assembly to consider and approve Money Laundering Prevention and
Prohibition Bill 2016 and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal
Matters Bill 2016.
The bills are believed to parts of efforts to improve Nigeria’s legal framework to combat corruption.
The president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the letters
covering the bills at plenary on Wednesday. Quoting the president’s
letter, Saraki said the bill on money laundering sought to repeal the
Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, and re-enact a more comprehensive
legislation.
"This bill seeks to make comprehensive provisions to prohibit
the laundering of the criminal activities, expand the scope of money
laundering offences.
"It seeks to provide protection for employees of various
institutions, bodies and professions who may discover money laundering,
enhance customer due diligence. It provides appropriate penalties and
expands the scope of supervisory bodies.
"It also recognizes the role of certain self-regulatory
organisations to address the challenges faced in implementation of
comprehensive anti-money regime," the letter, quoted by Saraki read.
The second bill, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill
2016, seeks to get relevant international assistance in cases of money
laundering.
The Bill is expected to provide framework for 'other countries to assist in provision of and obtaining of evidence, making of arrangements for persons to give evidence.'
"The biIl also hopes to elicit international assistance in
criminal investigations, recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of
property in respect of offences.
"The restraining of dealings in property or the freezing of
assets that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of
offences.
"The execution of request for search and seizure, the location
and identification of witnesses and suspects, the service of documents
and other matters connected herewith," it read.
Source: Premium Times
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