By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA— The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has called for tighter oversight on how recovered stolen assets are utilised.
According to her, the administration of recovered assets must adhere to principles of transparency, integrity, and public accountability.
Speaking at the 43rd Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime at the University of Cambridge, Justice Dongban-Mensem argued that recovering stolen assets goes beyond confiscating illegitimately acquired funds or property, adding that it is equally an act of restoring justice.
Corruption, she said, is not an abstract financial issue but one with direct human costs.
She said: “Every act of corruption represents more than a financial loss. For most of us in Nigeria, behind every stolen public resource is a human consequence: schools that remain unbuilt, hospitals that remain unequipped, infrastructure that remains incomplete, and communities deprived of essential services and opportunities.
“Accordingly, asset recovery must be understood not simply as the recovery of money or property, but as an act of restoring justice.
“It affirms the principle that public resources belong to the people and must be administered in the public interest.”
A statement by the Assistant Chief Information Officer at the Court of Appeal, Garr Bukola, further disclosed that Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that a defining strength of the Symposium was the recognition that no jurisdiction possesses a monopoly on legal knowledge or institutional experience.
She stressed that the exchange of perspectives among common law, civil law, and mixed legal systems enriches collective understanding and enables collective responses that are both effective and consistent with constitutional values.
“It is through this comparative engagement that we are better positioned to confront the complex and evolving challenges that transcend national borders.
“While acknowledging the significant progress achieved in supporting victim communities, we must continue to emphasise the importance of strengthening restorative justice systems and institutional capacity in jurisdictions where illicit assets are identified, concealed, or located.
“The administration of recovered assets must adhere to principles of transparency, integrity, and public accountability.
“The challenges of economic crime cannot be overcome by any single institution, jurisdiction, or profession.
“Judges, prosecutors, investigators, legislators, regulators, financial institutions, academics, and civil society organisations each have an essential role in advancing justice.
“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that the pursuit of accountability never compromises the integrity of justice; that international cooperation strengthens rather than weakens constitutional protections; and that innovation remains firmly anchored in the rule of law.
“Let this Symposium be a defining moment in reaffirming our shared determination to confront criminal threats with resolve, integrity, and unity.
“Justice prevails when nations collaborate, when institutions act with purpose, and when our commitment to the rule of law remains resolute.
“Let our collective efforts serve as a declaration that no criminal enterprise, however powerful or complex, is beyond the reach of justice,” Justice Dongban-Mensem added.
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