Nigeria approves anti-graft bill

NIGERIA: The Nigerian cabinet approved on Wednesday draft legislation that would give security agencies the power to confiscate property from people suspected of corruption even after a court has acquitted them.

The cabinet of President Umaru Yar'Adua said the bill, which would also apply to Nigerians living abroad, is necessary to deter graft in one of the world's most corrupt countries.

"The bill allows for confiscation where an individual has been tried before a criminal court but acquitted, perhaps through a questionable verdict or because the conviction ... fell short of the criminal standard of proof," said Information Minister Dora Akunyili.

It was not immediately clear what criteria the security agencies would use in deciding when to confiscate property and it is far from certain that parliament will approve the draft.

The government has taken a number of steps to try to improve the country's reputation, including the launch last month of a rebranding campaign with the slogan: "Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation".

But corruption continues to run rampant in Africa's most populous nation, from policemen at checkpoints demanding bribes to senior officials accused of embezzling millions of dollars. Abuja, Thursday, Reuters)