USA Africa Dialogue Series - Sending The Wrong Signal Against Corruption

Sending The Wrong Signal Against Corruption

The presidential pardon announced for some ex-convicts by the Federal Government on Tuesday has, as usual, elicited various reactions from Nigerians. While some argued that the constitution gives the president the power to grant pardon to those he considers as deserving such, others submitted that such powers, even if granted by the laws of the land, should be exercised with caution and discretion so as not to send a wrong signal the fight against corruption.

Granting pardon to corrupt public officials that have been indicted by the laws of the land has the tendency of portraying this administration as unserious in its fight against corruption,  the cankerworm that has eaten very deep into the fabric of the nation and stunted its economic growth.

Taking a look at the ex-convicts granted presidential pardon, we discovered that some of them were those accused of stealing public funds and tried according to the laws of the country.  It is our opinion that granting pardon to such individuals amounts to a disrespect for the laws of the land. It is also an indirect way of assuring would-be fraudsters that crime pays.

The essence of punishment in law is to serve as a deterrent to offenders from commiting further crime but when you now remove this element of sanction, then the correction it is supposed to serve is defeated.

It is our opinion that the presidential pardon granted the former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha who was convicted of stealing public funds entrusted in his care, is immoral and offends the sensibilities of law abiding citizens.

Alamieyeseigha was arrested in 2005 following allegations that he stole money belonging to Bayelsa State when he was governor of the state. Before his detention in Nigeria, Alamieyeseigha was arrested in London for money laundering. He jumped bail by escaping to Nigeria allegedly dressed as a woman.

He was also impeached by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on allegations of money laundering.

He pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2007 after he was arraigned in court and was sentenced to jail. He was later released when the court ruled that the amount of time he had spent in detention was sufficient punishment.

It is our opinion that those that should be considered for presidential pardon ought to be those imprisoned wrongly by past military administrations for offences they did not commit. By this, we are referring to prisoners of conscience, like the journalists  wrongly imprisoned by the late maximum ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, for offences they did not commit. Certainly, Alamieyeseigha does not qualify for that category.

By his decision to grant presidential pardon to Alamieyeseigha, President Jonathan has once again displayed his penchant for ignoring the feelings of the people when taking decisions. It is not the first time. The last unpopular decision of the president pitched him against the students  and lecturers of the University of Lagos when he renamed the institution, Moshood Abiola University of Lagos. The change led to widespread protests by students and individuals.

The president will do well to reverse the pardon granted Alamieyeseigha to save whatever little integrity he still has in the war  against corruption in the country.


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