Clarke: It’s in the blood of Nigerians to steal

Clarke: It’s in the blood of Nigerians to steal

Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) believes Nigerians will still steal even if there's capital punishment for stealing.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) believes Nigerians will still steal even if there's capital punishment for stealing.

               
           
               
                   

Chief Robert Clarke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has said that capital punishment will not stop Nigerians from stealing because it’s in their blood to steal.

               
           
               
                   

Clarke said this in an interview with Punch when he was asked what he thinks about applying capital punishment for corruption in Nigeria.

               
           
               
                   

He said, “Whether it is capital punishment or not, a crook would always be a crook. Most of these things are in the blood. Somebody who wants to steal has it in the blood and some Nigerians have imbibed the custom of believing that when they are working for government, they are there to steal. If you are made a commissioner tomorrow, all your relations are looking forward to getting contracts from you. So, we believe it’s a money-spinning venture. Sentencing people to death will not stop people from stealing. It’s in the blood of Nigerians to steal”.

               
           
               
                   

The 81-yr-old lawyer,  however, argued that the propensity to steal would reduce when there’s good governance.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Chief Robert Clarke says it's in the blood of Nigerians to steal. (Daily Trust)

               

               
           
               
                   

He said, “When a mechanic has power supply to work in his workshop and a tyre repairer has electricity to do his job, when will he have the time to dupe others? Nigeria is so great, with about 200 million people. Can you imagine if we have one singlet and briefs factory in Nigeria? Do you know the market it would have? We import everything. Whereas if most of our politicians who are stealing money can set up singlet and pants factories in every geo-political zone, the market is there, but we all just believe in stealing”.

               
           
               
                   

He also advised that death sentence be abolished and make a constitutional provision for a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment for corrupt practices.

               
           
               
                   

“I believe somebody who killed at the age of 36 and is sentenced to 20 years and comes back at the age of 56 should have learnt a lesson, rather than keep them there. Some are afraid to sign a death warrant or they have religious phobia that you shouldn’t take life when you don’t make one. Then, let us agree to cancel death penalty in our books and make it 20 years’ imprisonment”.

Source: Clarke: It’s in the blood of Nigerians to steal

- gist culled from pulseng