Begin process to recover Alamieyeseigha’s loot – SERAP

Posted by admin Bayelsa, Headlines, State News Tuesday, September 11th, 2012

A rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has asked the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, SAN, to commence steps to recover $401,931 forfeited in the United States by former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The US Department of Justice had on June 28, 2012, obtained a forfeiture judgment over the money on the strength of the new Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative against Alamieyeseigha, who had been convicted in Nigeria for money laundering and unjust enrichment while he was governor.

The judgment was said to be the first obtained under the new law.

In a letter dated September 11, 2012, SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the Federal Government had since refused to take any step towards the recovery of the “stolen wealth”.

The letter read in part, “The Nigerian government has not yet made a request for the repatriation of the stolen wealth.

“The failure to repatriate the recovered assets illustrates the government’s attitude to recovery of stolen assets.

“Yet, being a state party to the UN Convention against Corruption Nigeria has a legal obligation to make a request for mutual legal assistance to the US for the return of the assets.”

The Convention, according to SERAP, affords signatories to the Convention “the widest measure of cooperation and assistance in this regard (asset recovery)”.

The letter also read, “SERAP’s US Volunteer Counsel, Prof. Alexander W. Sierck, is in high level discussion with US officials on the matter but without the Nigerian government taking the initiative the process will not go far.

“Repatriating the stolen assets would contribute to the fight against impunity of perpetrators as would-be corrupt suspects will know that they will never be allowed to keep and enjoy their ill-gotten wealth.

“The repatriation of the assets and other stolen wealth will also enhance the ability of the government to provide basic necessities of life such as healthcare, water, and electricity to millions of Nigerians who continue to face extreme poverty and misery.”The group also urged the government to use the repatriated assets to set up a trust fund for the benefit of “the millions of vulnerable and disadvantaged Nigerians who are the victims of high level corruption.”

It added, “Any allocation and spending from such fund must be subject to anti-corruption safeguards so that recovered assets can be spent on public health or education projects, or to provide other basic necessities of life to millions of Nigerians living in poverty.”wp_posts