ICC considers Falana’s petition against Okonjo-Iweala, others

The International Criminal Court, Hague, says it is looking into the petition written to it by human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), seeking the probe and prosecution of all the individuals linked with the alleged diversion of the $2.1bn meant to procure arms to fight Boko Haram.

A former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and others are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Falana, who termed the alleged diversion of the arms funds as a crime against humanity, had in a petition on January 19, called on the ICC to bring every person linked with the alleged fraud to justice.

In the said petition, Falana alleged that a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, transferred to Dasuki the sum of $322m and £5.5m out of the loot recovered from the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Falana said Dasuki allegedly diverted the money rather than use it to equip the armed forces.

He asked that everyone linked with the alleged diversion of the arms funds be held criminally liable for the death of about 25,000 people killed by the Boko Haram sect and the over 2,000,000 people displaced by the insurgents.

The ICC in a letter dated February 1 and with Reference No. OTP-CR-32/16, acknowledged receipt of Falana’s petition with an assurance that it would give consideration to it in line with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

A statement on Tuesday from Falana’s chambers said the letter was signed by the ICC Head of Information and Evidence Unit, Mark Dillon.

The statement quoted the ICC as stating, “The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter.

“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.”

Falana had in his January 19 petition said it was unfortunate that part of the stolen funds was used to fund the re-election campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election.

PUNCH