by Damilola Jagun
Two top lawyers have advised President Goodluck Jonathan to desist from differentiating between ‘stealing and corruption’.
On Wednesday, February 11, during the presidential media chat, the President, for the second time in one year, insisted that there was a difference between the two criminal acts.
He had said: “If somebody is a thief, he is a thief. We should not use the word ‘corruption’ to cover a case of stealing. Thieves should be called thieves.”
However, a lawyer and human rights activist, Prof. Itse Sagay, while speaking with Punch, said there was no difference between the two acts.
He said: “In a broad legal sense, they are the same. Stealing is taking what belongs to another person without the consent of the owner with the intention of keeping it permanently.”
“Corruption is using an office to acquire the resources of an organisation without working for it and without the organisation’s awareness. Looking at it, using an office as a political office holder to acquire what belongs to the state results to stealing.”
“Ultimately, every act of corruption is an act of stealing. There is no question about it. There is no moral or ethical difference between them. Both are criminal, immoral and anti-social acts and nobody should attempt to make one look lighter than the other. People who commit either should be dealt with seriously.”
Speaking in a similar vein, civil rights lawyer, Fred Agbaje, said the fact that President Jonathan saw a difference between the two acts was proof that he oversees a corrupt government.
He said: “Defence of stealing as different from corruption is indicative of the fact that President Jonathan’s administration is morally bankrupt.”
“What the President has said is an admission of guilt and that his government is corrupt. It is a distinction without substance. It is calling one object two different names. The nomenclature may differ, but the substance of both allegations is the same.”
“Which of them is allowed in our law whether he calls them in different names? They are both punishable under our penal laws. Stealing is even worse than corruption. Both of them carry a legal element of deliberately taking what does not belong to someone with the intent of depriving the taxpayers.”
thank you prof. Itse Sagay….who could have imagine a Ph.D holder condesending below ethical norms insisting that stealing is not corruption…chai! what a shame….no wonder he runs d most corrupt administration ever in d history of Nigeria……what do we call Stella Oduah scam and d rest that have bn making d wave? under jonathan watch, MDA are never held accountable…..here in PH uniport, we have been in total black out for almost a month….pls stop embarrassing Nigerian in d commity of other nation Mr. President