The Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission (SPFACC) received 36 petitions and complaints between January and September 2024, its Chairman, Retired Justice William Akintoroye, has said.
Akintoroye told newsmen on Thursday in Akure that the some of the cases were by way of formal petitions while others were oral complaints.
“Some of them came in black and white, that is, written petitions while some came by way of oral complaints,” the chairman said.
Akintoroye added that some of the petitions received, involved government officials and were still under investigation with respect to discreet application to the rule of law.
“But we want to assure you that no matter your complaint or petition, nothing will be swept under the carpet.
“No matter how small or big a matter or an issue, once it gets to us here, we do our best to investigate.
“ If we have any reason to proceed, after the investigation, we’ll continue without minding whose ox is gored,” he said.
Akintoroye said that some of the matters would be prosecuted in courts of jurisdiction after investigation has been concluded.
On the legality of the commission, the chairman said that the state had powers given by the Constitution to set up any type of commission it wants.
The retired jurist expressed confidence in the capacity of the commission to rid the state of corrupt practices and serve as an arbiter in ensuring peaceful coexistence among residents of the state.
Akintoroye appealed to people in the state to
cooperate with the commission by giving useful information that would ensure proper and adequate investigation of complaints and petitions before it.
The commission’s chairman listed manpower among its challenges and unwillingness of some petitioners to provide evidence during hearing of thir petitions.
“It is one thing to lodge a complaint, it is another thing to stand by it and defend it,” he said.
Akintoroye said that the commission was created in 2022, and would soon have its official website where complaints and petitions could be made, especially from those outside the state capital.
He, appreciated Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for his magnanimity, which he said, had uplifted the commission.
“We cannot but mention and appreciate Governor Aiyedatiwa. He has been so magnanimous to you commission.
He supported us with vehicles,and some other things.
“So like Oliver Twist, we still need more because if you look at the environment now, we have just three bedroom here. The space is not there.
“So we still want to appeal to the government to give the commission more support. Whatever that is worth doing at all is worth doing well.
“We need space, we need comfortable office accommodation. We need vehicles also, we need more hands,” he said. ( NAN).
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