Reps propose stiffer sanction against advance fee fraud

The House of Representatives is expected to commence debate on the general principles of a bill which seeks to prohibit Public Office holders in Nigeria from operating foreign accounts and education.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal Acts, respectively.

As stipulated in the Explanatory Memorandum, the “bill seeks to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act to provide for the compulsory utilization of our local public health facilities and education facilities to provide room for improvement in both the health and educational sector of our country.”

The private member bill which was sponsored by the Chairman, the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Francis Waive, has scaled through the First Reading on the floor of the House and is expected to be gazetted for the Second Reading.

As encapsulated in the proposed bill seen by Nigerian Tribune, the sponsor of the bill, proposed amendment to Section 7 of the Act.

Clause 2 of the bill, seeks to amend Section 7 of the Principal Act by including a new subsection (a) and the section is now arranged as follows:

Clause 3(a) of the bill titled: ‘Prohibition of Foreign Accounts and Foreign Medical Trips and Foreign Education’ provides that: “Any public officer specifies in the Second Schedule to this Act or any other person as the president may from time to time, by order prescribe, shall not maintain or operate a bank account in any country outside Nigeria.”

Clause 3(b) also stated that: “Except the categories of persons listed number 11 of the Second Schedule to this Act, any public officer specifies in the Second Schedule to this Act or any other person as the president may from time to time, by order prescribe, shall not seek medical attention in any Hospital outside Nigeria.”

Clause 3(c) further provides that: “Any public officer specifies in the Second Schedule to this Act or any other person as the President may from time to time, by order prescribe, shall not admit his/her children and ward in a private school within or outside Nigeria from the elementary level up to undergraduate level.”

In the same vein, the House is expected to commence debate on the general principles of a bill which seeks increase the minimum years of imprisonment for anyone convicted under the Act from 7 to 10 years, with a view to deter other Nigerians from the crime.

The proposed legislation sponsored by Hon. Francis Waive seeks to end the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences Act, CAP. A6 LFN 2007, No. 62 and for related matters.

Clause 1 provides that: “The Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences Act CAP A6 LFN 2011 (in this Bill referred to as the ‘Principal Act’ is hereby amended as follows: Amendment of section 1(3).

Hon. Waive also proposed an amendment to Section 1(1) of the Principal Act by substituting the existing words which read: ‘A person who commits an offence under section (I) or (2) of this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 20 years and not less than 10 years without the option of a fine.”

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