Anti-Graft Agencies Must Protect Rights Of Suspects – ICPC Chairman

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The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related  Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta has charged the Anti-graft  agencies in Nigeria to continue to protect the rights of suspects  through strict compliance with the rule of law, as a suspect is  considered not guilty until a court of law proves culpability.

Mr Nta who spoke recently during a chat with the media at ICPC  Headquarters stated that the present ICPC Board’s priority on  assumption of duties in 2011 was to address the issue of the  Commission’s Detention Centre. “We made sure our Detention Centre is  equal to any found in civilized nations. As soon as a suspect is  arrested, we ensure that he is fit before detention.”

He added that the policy for the respect of human rights was something  that he inherited from the past Chairmen of the Commission. He  emphasized that “ICPC does not play with human rights. And I have done  my best to continue in that direction”.

The ICPC Boss stated that the Commission paid about N300, 000:00 for  the surgery of a suspect at the National Hospital. “Whether I’m in the  country or not, I must know the condition of the Suspect we detain”.

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He expressed happiness over the fact that the National Assembly was  considering a Bill to protect detainees and abolish the extraction of  information through torture because this is something the Commission  abhors.

According to the Chairman, “We have never tortured anybody during  interrogation in the history of our existence as an Anti-graft agency.  Interrogators in different law enforcement agencies must be trained  and retrained on how to do the right thing”.

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