Buhari Signs Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act into Law

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, June 21st, 2019

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2019.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, told State House Correspondents that the law comes into effect from June 20, this year.

According to him, the aim was to obtain from other countries, on reciprocal basis, mutual assistance in the prosecution of Criminal matters including the location and identification of suspects, witnesses and other materials for prosecution of criminal matters.

Other objects include but not limited to:

(I) (9) the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of crime;

(II) (k) the interception of telecommunications (II) (i) conversion of electronic surveillance.

(IV) (m) the restraint of dealings in property, or the freezing of assets, that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.

According to him, other assistance that is not contrary to the municipal law of the requesting State.

He explained that the Attorney -General of the Federation is designated as the Central Authority for making, receiving and transmitting requests for assistance to and from other countries as well as performing other functions reserved in the Act.

The Presidential aide stated that where the alleged offence was of a political character or an offence under military law or was not an offence under the laws of Nigeria, the provisions of this law shall not apply.