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Copyright sector professionals, under the aegis of Concerned Stakeholders in the Nigerian Copyright Industry, have urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to take over the investigation of corruption allegations in the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC.
The calls followed the reported, recent take-over by the AGF, of the lawsuit instituted against MTN by the Nigerian Copyright Commission, over alleged copyright breaches.
The stakeholders, who welcomed the AGF’s decision to take over the MTN lawsuit, urged him “to similarly take over from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, ICPC, the lingering investigation and litigation involving Mr John O. Asein, Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC)”.
The case started in 2020 based on a petition by an anti-corruption organisation, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).
The copyright stakeholders made the call in a letter, dated 22nd June, 2024, titled ‘Request For The Office Of The Hon. Attorney-General Of The Federation And Minister Of Justice To Take Over From The Independent Corrupt Practices And Related Offences Commission (ICPC) And The Code Of Conduct Bureau (CCB) The Investigation And Prosecution Of Mr. John O. Asein, Director-General Of The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC)’.
The letter was forwarded to President Bola Tinubu, through his Special Adviser on Media, Ajuri Ngelale.
Parts of the letter, addressed to the AGF, read, “By virtue of powers conferred upon the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation by Section 174 (3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, we write to respectfully request the authorisation for the take over of the prosecution of Mr. John O. Asein, Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) from the ICPC.
“The ICPC commenced investigation in the year 2020, although they found him culpable, instead of prosecution, they acted ultra-vires by asking him to pay a refund. A copy of the documents related to this is enclosed herewith.
“Subject to your invitation, we are prepared to provide both oral and written evidence about acts of illegality perpetuated by Mr. John O. Asein since his appointment in the year 2019.”
The stakeholders alleged that the criminal charges filed by the Nigerian Copyright Commission against MTN over alleged copyright breaches was aimed at extorting the telecommunications firm.
In the originating summons of a suit filed against the ICPC before the Lagos Federal High Court, the Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre noted that in 2020, it forwarded a petition to the ICPC titled ‘Demand For Urgent Investigation And Probe – Mr John Asein Ohireime’. The petition dated 8th June, 2020, demanded an immediate investigation into corruption allegations levelled against Asein, Copyright Commission DG.
HEDA, in the petition alleged that Asein continued to receive salaries from the Federal Government after his retirement in 2015.
Further information in the originating summons noted that the ICPC, after investigating Asein, sent a Report of Investigation to HEDA, dated 29th April 2022, with reference number Ref. No. ICPC/INV/GBP/200/T12.
In the report, according to the originating summons, the ICPC indicted Asein for receiving salaries without offering any service to the government but, instead of prosecuting him, directed him to refund the salaries into its (ICPC) Recovery Account, a development which HEDA said is illegal.
