Unic Press UK: Under no Act or law of Nigeria is the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), headed by Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, empowered to go beyond investigation by seizing properties and or prosecuting any individual or corporate entity, the Court of Appeal said in a ruling Monday.
The plaintiff Tijani Tumsah had, among other things, asked the Court of Appeal to determine whether the SPIP had powers under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act or any law to obtain a freezing order on its properties as granted by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on December 2017.
In a unanimous decision of the Court of Appeal, a five-man panel led by Justice Hussein Muhktar said that the SPIP has no power or authority to prosecute offenders, but can investigate and then submit its findings to the government.
