“This Is No Military Rule” – Buhari Says Corrupt Suspects Are Innocent Until Proven Guilty

President Muhammadu Buhari monday in Abuja said his administration would give full regard to due process and the rule of law in the prosecution of its war against corruption, adding that corruption suspects are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said the president spoke when a delegation from the Foursquare Gospel Church visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president restated his commitment to recovering stolen funds, but stressed that the present administration’s efforts in this regard would be fully within the ambit of the law.

“Under military rule, people could be arrested and held on the basis of suspicion. But in a true democracy, anyone accused of an offence must be presumed innocent till pronounced guilty by a court of law,” the president said.

Buhari added that his administration was therefore diligently building up its case against those accused of stealing government funds, getting the necessary evidence and facts, before formal charges are brought against them.

He congratulated the Foursquare Church in Nigeria on its 60th anniversary convention which was concluded on Sunday.

In his remarks, the General Overseer of the church, Reverend Felix Meduoye lauded the Buhari administration for its positive strides in the war against corruption and the insurgency.