Rosemary Akano and Folorunso Tobi Hajarat were in town to seek peoples' opinion on the appropriate punishment to be meted out to public officials who indulge in squandering public funds. Their report.AROWOLO Abass, student, If a person pilfered in his or her place of work, the management would definitely take action by giving an appropriate punishment.I am so much surprised that these so called politicians are not satisfied with their salaries and some other additional allowances like housing, wardrobe, kitchen allowances, etc, which the masses are not entitled to. Therefore, if they are not satisfied with these opportunities and still embezzle the country's money, they must be dealt with just as a commoner who embezzled company's or an organisation's money.Furthermore, what should be done to a thief , should be done to those embezzling the masses' money, irrespective of their status.People who hail or encourage our corrupt political leaders, e.g their family members, friends and relatives should be dealt with by the masses. I am ready for such a fight. Anybody found guilty of this act must die. Such a person must be killed while his family must pay back everything.For those who think they are wise, please stop the act now, or else, the day of reckoning is coming, just as it came for Muammar Gaddafi and Charles Taylor.Reverend (Dr) Gabriel Akano (JP). Anti-crime agents need to be empowered constitutionally. Agencies like the ICPC and EFCC also need to be re-orientated in order to carry out their duties without fear.The government should go to the grassroots to tackle those that have been found wanting in such act.Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be the society's watchdog in order to effect timely judgement because an adage says 'judgment delayed is justice denied.' So, those found guilty should be thoroughly dealt with in order to deter others.Mr Kehinde Makinde who works with a law firm in Lagos State:The major thing that we need is God's intervention because if we continue on this matter we will all end up wasting our precious time. I don't think this issue can be addressed by the masses except God. I trust that God can do all things. If we continue on this issue we will just leave our personal issue aside and face this issue alone. This matter is not a new thing in this country.Well, what I can say about it is that the embezzlers do not have the fear of God. As an individual, the only thing I will suggest is that, we only need to protect and make necessary provisions for our family.Government is not ready to do anything for the masses and the act of embezzling public fund for selfish interest will not stop.Those that are using their offices to pilfer cannot be punished because those who are to punish them are guilty of the same offence. So, if they make any funny noise about it, it will bounce back on them.Dr (Mrs) Olutoyin Jegede, Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of Ibadan:There are rules and regulations about embezzling public funds. The problem in Nigeria is that the rules are not implemented especially when we feel that the person involved is 'important.' Just like other criminal acts, sanction should be implemented, the criminal should be penalised, the money should be taken back and returned to the public purse but if the money has been spent, their properties should be impounded by the government. Anointed ' Jesse, a civil servant, University of Ibadan:Embezzlement happens as a result of unsatisfaction, denial of people's right and lack of contentment. Embezzling of public funds is at a minimal level in the advanced countries because everyone lives based on his or her level of income and people need not build or buy houses or other properties because everything is available. The punishment for persons who are found guilty of embezzling public funds should be penalised based on the weight of their crime. The money should be used for something tangible and also to enlighten the public on what it is being used for.Deborah Eva Nkem, 400 level, Law student, University of Ibadan:The property of people who are found guilty of embezzling public funds should be seized and used for public transactions, such criminal should be jailed for 14 years, with no option of fine and a centre should be set up where such criminals are to do menial jobs to bring down their ego.Pastor Babarinde Elikannah, a teacher says:Actually, embezzlement is the order of the day mostly in Africa, especially in Nigeria.Therefore, all efforts made by the government to curb the menace of corruption did not only stop it but aggravated it, in the sense that the law enacted for the punishment of public corrupt officers was not followed to the letter.Meanwhile, I would have suggested that any corrupt public officer should have their assets confiscated.Also, the bio-data of such public officers should be published in newspapers, broadcast on the radio, television and internet.In addition, they should be excommunicated in the church or mosque, should not be given recognition in the local, state and federal governments. This punishment must be extended to their spouse since they shared the public fund with them.Apart from this, the children of the corrupt officers should not be given appointment in any government establishment in the local, state and federal government, since the public fund was used to sponsor them. This appointment must be restricted to the private establishment under tight monitoring etc.Moreso, they do not deserve bail, because they have committed offences against the people, hence, their cases must be treated as treasonable felony.In conclusion, they should be given the same judgment, no matter how small or big the public fund they embezzled.Miss Tomi Patience, student of Echoe Professional Specialise, Republic of Benin:I will just say, 'he that is without corruption among them should cast the first stone at them.' I don't believe any punishment can be given to our selfish politicians who embezzle masses' funds, because no one has a say on them, and if we say government should punish them, who is the government' Are they not the government' And they can't stand against themselves, even if we invite the law enforcement agencies- EFCC and ICPC, are they not all the same' So, the truth is that nothing can be done to them, because those who are supposed to punish them are their friends.Masses should just forget about fighting on the fact that the political leaders are cheating, in short corruption and embezzlement has been practised from the least to the peak in the society. Corruption has been practised at the grassroots level, in each household except the households that have the fear of God, so, what are we now saying'Therefore, we should forget about punishing the corrupt leaders, each and everyone of us should stop corruption within us, by this, God can help us stop corruption and the so called embezzlement in the system.With all these, I will just say 'he that is unjust let him be unjust still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still,' because the day of judgment is coming whereby somebody that is greater than kings, powerful men, politicians even the masses and commoners will judge everyone according to their works, our Lord will punish those that are found in any corrupt act. Only God can punish them, no man can do.
Click here to read full news..
