ICC considers SERAP’s petition on N11trn energy scam under Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) petition to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, over widespread, systematic and large-scale corruption in the electricity sector since the return of democracy in 1999, is supposedly being attended to by the international body.

In a statement SERAP made available to Ripples Nigeria on Wednesday, the organisation said it has confirmed that ICC is considering the petition on the allegations of scam in the electricity sector under the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria.

The statement signed by SERAP deputy director, Timothy Adewale, stated, that “SERAP can confirm that the ICC is now considering our petition. We have received communication from Mark P. Dillon, Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the ICC indicating that the court will give due consideration to our petition.”
According to SERAP, the information is contained in a letter with reference number OTP-CR-245/17 received by the organization today.

SERAP quoted the letter as reading in part, “This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision.”

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In his reaction to the ICC response on the petition, Timothy Adewale said, “SERAP appreciates the prompt attention to this matter by the ICC. We urge the court to pursue this matter to a satisfactory conclusion by taking the case forward as required by the provisions of the Rome Statute, and ensuring a thorough investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators of grand corruption in the electricity sector in Nigeria.”

It would be recalled that SERAP last week sent a petition to Mrs. Fatou Bensouda Prosecutor the ICC asking her to use her “good offices and leadership position to investigate whether the allegations of widespread, systematic and large-scale corruption in the electricity sector since the return of democracy in 1999 and under the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria amount to crimes against humanity within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and to prevail on the Nigerian government to surrender all suspected perpetrators for trial by the ICC.”

 

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