A coalition of civil society Organisation on anti- corruption have raised the alarm over plans to grant presidential pardon to former governor of Abia State , Orji Kalu and some convicted politicians .
Recall that the Federal Government had granted amnesty to no fewer than 2,600 inmates as part of measures to decongest prison facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the government , those eligible for the pardon include inmates that are 60 years and above; those suffering from ill-health likely to result in death; convicts serving three years and above and have less than six months to serve; inmates with mental issues; and inmates with an option of fine not exceeding N50,000.
However,the civil society Organisation have called for strict sanctions against those calling for the release of convicted politicians like Kalu who is serving a 12 year jail term and others as these will serve as deterant to others who may still want to sabotage the anti corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari .
Coordinator of the CSOs, Uche Okorafor in a press conference in Abuja yesterday contended that no political convict should be granted pardon or freedom in any guise as such will make nonsense of the war against corruption.
He also lamented the incalculable damage, mistrust and erosion of public confidence this move might cause to the country’s criminal justice system if allowed .
He said “we are here to alert you of fresh move by some highly-placed politicians to quash the 12 -year jail sentence slammed on the former governor on December 5, 2019 by a Federal High Court sitting in lagos.
“The said agents have allegedly recruited a number faceless groups across the country to stage a sponsored protest , asking for the immediate release of the jailed former governor.
“We have it on good authority that a certain group in the North has been paid to mobilise about 1000 people to stage a protest in Abuja this week over the conviction of the former governor.
“The group was reported to have addressed the media during which it mischievously claimed that Kalu was a victim of high level conspiracy and political witch -hunting.
“The group threatened to expose those it claimed were behind the conviction of Chief Kalu, just as it asked notable politicians in the North to rise up in the call to free the former governor whom the group described as “a friend of the North”.
“We also urge the DSS and indeed the Presidency to fish out those behind the planned protest and arraign them for attempt to undermine both our judiciary and the anti corruption war of the Federal Government .
Again, we insist that there should be no sacred cow in the fight against graft . Nigerians await the final judgment of the nation’s apex court on the trial of Chief Kalu over his conviction.
“We are also at loss over the post-conviction bail granted to Kalu’s co-convict Mr Ude Udeogu on purported terminal health condition. Does this not amount to freeing a culprit through the back door? If he claims he has a terminal and infections disease, is it safer to release him to the larger society to infest others or keep him in a confinement for treatment? What about other lesser mortals with even worse health conditions yet they are still in prison custody?
This sad development has also heightened our fear that Kalu may soon be freed from jail without completing his prison term as was recently boasted by one of his cronies,” he added .
