The rapid hour Lawyer Normal of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied the allegation of corruption leveled in opposition to him by way of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo, in his newly excepted accumulation, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ alleged that corruption used to be at its worst underneath former President Muhammadu Buhari’s management, with Malami being a robust supporter of such practices.
“The most atrocious waste, enthronement of corruption, and discouragement of officials fighting corruption” passed off underneath President Buhari’s management, with Malami enjoying a central position,” stated Obasanjo as he went additional to explain the previous AGF as a “devil’s workshop.”
All the way through Buhari’s management, two former governors—Joshua Dariye of Plateau Atmosphere and Jolly Nyame of Taraba Atmosphere—who were convicted of fraud, have been granted presidential pardons.
Dariye used to be serving a 10-year sentence for embezzling N1.126bn atmosphere finances, age Nyame used to be serving a 12-year sentence for embezzling N1.64bn.
The Council of Atmosphere, presided over by way of Buhari in April 2022, granted the duo pardons at the subjects of month and ill-health.
Each governors have been excepted from Kuje Correctional Facility within the Federal Capital Range in August 2022, 4 months then their pardons.
Obasanjo, on the other hand, alleged that the pardons have been in response to the robust recommendation of Malami and have been tainted by way of corruption.
In keeping with the previous president, it used to be upcoming not hidden that neither Dariye nor Nyame had life-threatening diseases, as first of all claimed.
“It was all part of Malami’s financial shenanigans, and he played many of such to his advantage. His principal concurred, condoned, turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, and paid lip service to fighting corruption while cohabitating comfortably with corruption in multifarious ways,” Obasanjo alleged.
However Malami brushed aside the allegation in an unique interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, explaining that the method of granting pardons used to be strictly regulated by way of legislation.
“Generally speaking, the issue of pardon is a legal matter regulated by law and prevailing applicable legislations in which a committee on prerogative of mercy, and not the Attorney General, is responsible,” he said.
Malami additional defined that his position as Lawyer Normal used to be restricted to presenting the committee’s report back to the Council of Atmosphere.
“The responsibility for actions and inactions associated with the recommendations of the committee is, therefore, that of the committee and not the Attorney General,” Malami stated.
Malami criticised the rising development of unsubstantiated corruption allegations in opposition to people officers, each in the community and across the world, calling for colorful and evidence-based claims to safeguard credibility.
He stated, “Our system and polity are characterised by wild and unsubstantiated allegations of corruption as it relates to official acts of governance locally and internationally. We are living witnesses to unguarded allegations even against our well-respected presidents during international media engagements. The Hard Talk interview of President Obasanjo was a relevant case in point.”
The previous Minister of Justice defined that for any allegation of corruption or bribery to stock weight, ample main points should be equipped.
“It is only reasonable to provide adequate particulars where allegations of corruption are made. He gives what? How much was given? Who are the facilitators of bribe-taking? Through what medium was the bribe given? What date and time, among other details, are always necessary to ground reasonable suspicion,” Malami stated.
He concluded that allegations missing ample details stay baseless, shrewd, and void of actionable subjects for felony pursuit.