According to a report by AFP, an independent panel of experts, chaired by former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, has cleared the embattled leader of the African Bank of Development (AfDB) of corruption.
Akinwumi Adesina became the first Nigerian to head the AfDB in 2015 but he started encountering heavy scrutiny when a 15-page report which surfaced earlier this year claimed that the bank had witnessed poor governance, impunity, personal enrichment and favouritism under his watch.
The panel of three experts headed by Robinson alongside Gambia’s Chief Justice Hassan Jallow and the World Bank’s integrity vice president Leonard McCarthy declared Adesina not guilty of all charges alleged by whistleblowers.
The report concluded that “The Panel concurs with the Committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the Committee.”
The African Development Bank and Adesina were heavily battered by the rollercoaster of allegations after the complaints of the whistleblowers went viral in April.
Mary Robinson dismissed the 16 allegations levelled by the whistleblowers against Adesina.
The panel however did not carry out an investigation on the charges as that was not within their jurisdiction.
