The Senate on Wednesday placed five years jail term on false whistleblowers or N10 million fine.
The Senate’s decision was as a result of the clause by clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the Whistleblowers Protection Bill.
The Upper chamber also agreed with 5 per cent reward to whistleblowers on the money recovered.
According to section 45 (2): “A person who makes a disclosure which is false commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years or to a fine of not less then 10 million naira.”
The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujinmi, scaled through first reading on March 15, 2016.
It scaled into second reading on October 19.
After exhaustive debate on the bill, it was passed into second reading and passed to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Right and Legal Matters for further legislative action.
The bill, when signed into law, would ensure adequate protection for whistleblowers from reprisals, victimisation, job losses, isolation, humiliation, which are some of the consequences for whistleblowing as enumerated by the Senate.
