Reps seek 20yr jail term for corrupt public servants

The House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading a bill seeking to empower the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) to set a minimum of 20 years jail term for public officers convicted on corruption charges.

The bill also seeks the establishment of special courts to fasttrack trial of corruption cases in the country as is done in countries like India, Germany, Ghana, Cameroon and Egypt.

Leading debate on the bill, Rep Bassey Ewa (PDP, C/River) said the amendment was to create stringent ways of removing members and chairman of the EFCC board; establish an asset confiscation and recovery unit and Financial Investigation and Intelligence Unit.

He said Section 18 of the EFCC Act be amended to increase the term of sentence from two to three years to be not less than 20 years imprisonment.

He said the EFCC Act should further be amended to establish an EFCC Court to handle all cases emanating from investigations carried out by the EFCC bordering on financial crimes.

He said: “The court so established shall have divisions in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The EFCC court shall consist of judge, a retired permanent secretary, with cognate experience of not less 15 years on financial and procurement matters,” among others.