Bunmi AdulojuThe Nigerian navy says it has lost numerous court cases on arrested vessels due to non-diligent prosecution.He said the navy does not have the constitutional power to prosecute maritime offenders, and as a result, had lost cases on arrested vessels.
“In the conduct of our statutory enforcement and maritime policy roles, the Nigerian navy arrests numerous criminals for committing infractions within our maritime domain. However, unlike other law enforcement agencies with prosecuting rights, we cannot prosecute offenders,” he said.“To that effect, the Nigerian navy has lost many cases on arrested vessels due to non-diligent prosecution because we have the exhibits.
Gambo also said the Nigerian navy should be a beneficiary of part of the proceeds gotten from recovered maritime assets after sale. “To that effect, we are in liaison with the office of the attorney-general of the federation, so that when such vessels or maritime offenders are prosecuted, the proceeds of sale of crime, the Nigerian navy should be beneficiary of part of it so that the resources you have used to make sure that those exhibits are safe, and subsequently handed over to the Nigerian government, so that we benefit from that seizure or sale so that it also enhances our operations,” he said.
“The office of the attorney-general of the federation is in sync with this and is making efforts to ensure that we are provisioned for to take care of these assets before final prosecution. And of course, we are working on how the Nigerian navy can be allowed to prosecute maritime offenders in court due to the obvious which of course is: we carry out the arrest and we know the exhibits.”
NigNavyToday Ok
Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: thecableng - 🏆 2. / 80 Read more »