‘Those who steal must be punished,’ Ex-minister says

Okonjo-Iweala made the remark on Monday, March 21, 2016, while speaking at the Africa CEO forum, The Cable reports.

“We have to fight corruption in two ways; one is by punishing those who steal, and making sure they pay for what they do. But we also must plug all the holes by building institutions and systems that prevent corruption in the first place,” she said.

“If you have a financial system for running your financial accounts that is not computerised, that is not technologically based, you’re still transferring cash, as we were doing in my country up until 2003, 2004, then you’re opening up the place to a lot of people leaking,” she added.

The former minister has been severally accused of having a hand in the corruption which took place during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, under which she served.

“The issue is whether the Nigerian President under the constitution has the power to approve funds belonging to local, state and federal government- funds that have not been appropriated by the National Assembly. That is a criminal offence for which Okonjo-Iweala ought to face criminal prosecution,” Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said during an interview with Leadership in December 2015.

“And they took cash from the CBN. The Money Laundering Act says if you take cash in excess of N5 million transaction, it is money laundering and it is criminal. So, by Dasuki’s letter, he has also confirmed that Okonjo-Iweala is a privy to spending money never appropriated and therefore criminal, and that cash were being moved contrary to the money laundering act. Just using Dasuki’s own defence, you can see a case of conspiracy has been established between Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala and all those involved in that transaction,” Oshiomhole added.

Okonjo-Iweala has however vehemently denied the claims attributing them to attempts to tarnish her good image.

Watch Oshiomhole speak on Okonjo-Iweala below: