The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has urged the Acting Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to review an investigative finding of the Commission on the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mike Okiro.
In a petition forwarded to the anti-graft Commission and signed by CSNAC’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the network said it was calling for the review of a report with reference number ICPC/INV/GBP/HOD/362 and dated August 6, 2015.
It also wants the prosecution of Mr. Okiro based on a petition sent to it by a whistleblower in the Police Service Commission, Aaron Kaase.
The petitions reads, “On 6 August, 2015, during the time of your predecessor, the ICPC came out with findings based on a petition sent to it by a whistleblower in the Police Service Commission, Mr. Aaron Kaase, on the above underlined subject matter.
“In the said report, the ICPC came out with findings of its detailed investigation which indicted Mr. Mike Okiro in all ramifications based on provisions of the ICPC Act, Procurement Act 2007 and other laws violated but curiously stated it found no criminal infraction on the person of Mr. Okiro.
“It is in line with these findings which we find disturbing and suspect as an act of complicity by whatever authority involved at the time, that we humbly seek your review and prosecution of Mr. Okiro based on the Act establishing the ICPC as follows;
“ICPC findings confirmed that the PSC budgeted and collected money for the training of 900 non-existent staff but trained only 391 being the actual number of staff, thereby deceiving the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) that provided the funds and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPE) to obtain a fraudulent approval to expend the funds.
“Kindly refer to Section 25(1) (a) & (b) of the ICPC Act which prohibits making statements which are false or intended to mislead public officers or officers of the Commission and provides a penalty upon conviction, a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand Naira or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both. We urge you to apply the provision of the ICPC Act against the above mentioned infraction on Mr. Okiro.”
CSNAC noted further that, “The ICPC report ordered the PSC to return N133.4 million being a violation of Section 16 of the ICPC Act which provides thus: (16) “Any person who, being an officer charged with the receipt, custody, use or management of any part of the public revenue or property, knowingly furnishes any false statement or return in respect of any money or property received by him or entrusted in his care or any balance of money or property entrusted in his possession or under his control, is guilty of an offence, and shall on conviction be liable to (7) years imprisonment” we urge you to invoke provisions of this Act and prosecute Mr. Okiro accordingly.
“We further urge you to confirm to us if the said money has been returned to the ICPC recovery account as directed.”
While applauding the recent decision of the ICPC to prosecute the Director Admin and Finance of PSC, Emmanuel Ibe, based on the forensic findings that uncovered the payment of air returned tickets and taxi fare to designated staff to destinations without airport.
CSNAC added that, “Commendable as this is, it is incomplete and unjustifiable if your Commission chooses to prosecute only Mr. Ibe and allow Mr. Okiro to walk a free man. Considering Mr. Ibe acted under the instruction of Mr. Okiro.”