CATHOLIC bishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan has urged the Buhari administration to pardon anyone involved in money laundering if they are willing to return all their stolen funds top the country.
Since assuming office on May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari has made recovering stolen funds and combating corruption the main policy objective of his government. Several former ministers, governors and government officials are facing prosecution and it has been suggested that some sort of amnesty programme be introduced involving a plea bargaining arrangement.
Earlier this week, the attorney-general of the federation and justice minister Abubakar Malami, dismissed suggestions that anyone involved in corrupt practices will be allowed to get away scot-free under a plea bargain arrangement. However, Cardinal Onaiyekan, has urged the government to reconsider its stance on the matter, pointed out that graft can only be eradicated over time and not immediately.
Making the point at the Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Nyanya, Abuja, as part of his new year message to the nation, Cardinal Onaiyekan said the fight against fraudulent acts must be handled with care. He added that the best strategy towards ensuring the return of the stolen monies would be to reach an agreement with the people involved in laundering, to have them return what they have stolen.
Cardinal Onaiyekan added: “It is okay to expose people and disgrace them but that will not solve the problem. If we want our money back, we have to strategise so that the countries that are keeping our money can feel challenged to return it.
“The time has come such that once we have those facts we can call those nations the thieves that they are and say bring back our money. However, the easiest way to get the money back is if you can convince the people to go and bring the money back themselves, then it will be easy."
He pointed out that one way to convince people to go and bring back such money is to convince them that you will not disgrace them, after they have done that. Consequently, Cardinal Onaiyekan pointed out that a special kind of amnesty might be required, although he said that his idea of an amnesty does not include plea bargain, which only leads to the return of part, not all of the stolen funds.
“This is different from the popular plea bargaining where you tell a person who has stolen hundred billion to return fifty billion and be forgiven, that for me is not the right thing. If you have stolen hundred million and you are ready to bring back all, then we will leave you and not send you to jail, Nigeria can do that,” Cardinal Onaiyekan added.
He said corruption is embedded in the Nigerian system and therefore requires a systemic change to reverse the situation. Also, the archbishop charged the federal government to swing into proper action in the new year and fulfil its campaign promises.
