The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a suit to compel President Goodluck Jonathan to reinstate the recently withdrawn corruption charges against Mohammed Abacha.
The suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/1007/2014, was filed on Monday afore a Federal High Court in Lagos by Adetokunbo Mumuni and Oyindamola Musa on behalf of SERAP.
The group is seeking an order of the court to declare that the withdrawal of the N446.3bn corruption charges against Mohammed Abacha was illicit and unconstitutional.
On June 18, 2014, the Federal Regime had asked Equity Mamman Kolo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, to drop the N446.3bn corruption charges preferred against Mohammed Abacha, son of the tardy dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Mohammed was facing tribulation for allegedly availing his father to loot and launder about N446.3bn allegedly purloined from the government’s coffers between 1995 and 1998.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Muhammed Adoke, who asked for the withdrawal of the corruption charges on behalf of the Federal Regime, verbalized the decision followed emergence of “fresh facts” concerning the case.
However, SERAP has filed a suit to compel the reversal of the action.
Joined as the first and second defendants are President Goodluck Jonathan, and Adoke.
In the suit, SERAP argued that by the withdrawal of the N446.3bn corruption charges against Abacha, the Federal Regime had contravened Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which “provides that the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of puissance.”
SERAP further argued that the Attorney-General of the Federation, by asking for the withdrawal of the corruption charges, disregarded public interest and the interest of equity.
The group verbalized, “If the defendants want to exercise the potency of withdrawing corruption charges, it is compulsory that they meet the threshold of public interest, interest of equity and ascertain non-abuse of the court process.”
