Corruption: the Role of the Judiciary.

(From This Day (Nigeria) - AAGM)

Byline: Osita Okoro

OSITA OKORO advocates a role for the judiciary in the crusade against corrupt practices in Nigeria

Recently, transparency international in its corruption perception index (CPI) came out with the finding that Nigeria is the third most corrupt country in the world. This brings to the fore the endemic corruption in Nigeria.

Corruption is a term that has been given sundry interpretations. The Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Act 2000 defines corruption as including bribery, fraud and other related offences. The World Bank/IMF states that corruption is " the misuse of entrusted power for private benefit." This benefit could be money or power or status. It can be described as a situation whereby government officials and private economic agents allow personal and narrow interest to override considerations of the larger public good. The catalogue of corrupt acts includes bribery extortion, influence- peddling, nepotism, fraud speed money, embezzlement? over-invoicing, "kick backs", "ghost worker" syndrome. awarding of contracts to front companies belonging to public officials, payments for nonexistent projects etc.

Transparency …