Beatrice Thomas
January 28, 2016 – President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday sent two executive bills to the Senate. The bills are Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2016″ and “The Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, 2016.
In his letter to the Senate, Buhari said he is introducing the bills for formal consideration and enactment into law by the legislature.
In the letter, Buhari seeks repeal of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and make comprehensive provisions to prohibit the laundering of criminal activities, expand the scope of money laundering, and provide protection for employees of various institutions, bodies and professions who may discover money laundering.
The Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, 2016 seeks to facilitate the provision and obtaining by Nigeria of international assistance in criminal matters.
It includes the provision and obtaining of evidence and things, and the making of arrangements for persons to give evidence or assist in criminal investigations as well as the recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of property in respect of offences, the restraining of dealings in property or the freezing of assets that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.
