Oscarline Onwuemenyi
24 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has started considering a petition sent by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), over the squandering of N11 trillion electricity funds by the administrations of ex-presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan.
Last week, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had sent the petition to the global adjudication body, alleging the mismanagement of the electricity funds by the former leaders.
SERAP deputy director, Mr. Timothy Adewale, confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday, that the court has begun looking into the petition.
It said it received a letter from the court, with regards to the petition.
“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,” the statement read.
It 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.”
“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,” he added.