2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Vice President Charged With Corruption

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
10 October 2006

A special court in the Nigeria Tuesday started a hearing on corruption¹ charges filed against Vice² President Atiku Abubakar. Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reports that the charges flow from a public dispute between the vice president and the president ahead of crucial polls next year.

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Atiku Abubakar (file photo)

Vice President Atiku Abubakar is facing charges relating to abuse of office, embezzlement³ of public funds and money laundering⁴ filed by the attorney general on behalf of the Nigerian government.

The government says grave irregularities had characterized the handling of about $135 million in the coffers of a government agency, which the vice president headed. Mr. Abubakar is alleged⁵ to applied⁶ the funds to benefit his friends and associates.

The vice president was not in court Tuesday and the case has been adjourned⁷ to November 16.

Adeolu Akande, a spokesman for the vice president, says the special court was not competent to adjudicate on the matter since a high court in Abuja is already hearing a petition filed by the vice president on his indictment⁸.

"The vice president has challenged the decision of the attorney general to go to the code of conduct [tribunal]," he said. "By judicial⁹ protocol¹⁰, the code of conduct tribunal cannot commence hearing until the determination of the case in the high court. So, our position is that we are ready to pursue the case at the high court, raising all legal issues to make sure that the rule of law is protected."

The unprecedented¹¹ move to prosecute¹² an incumbent¹³ is widely linked to the fierce public face-off between the president and his deputy.

The dispute took a turn for the worse earlier this year when the vice president led a campaign to halt an attempt to rewrite the constitution to allow his boss stand for a third term.

Akande accuses the president of pursuing a narrow political vendetta¹⁴.

"If you look at the frenzy¹⁵ with which they have done all this, within the space of two weeks, you have conducted investigation¹⁶, it has gone to the federal executive council [cabinet], you have gazzetted the decision, you have gone to the tribunal," he said. "All these within 10 days, it has never happened in the history of Nigeria. By all account, no money was lost by the government,no case has been established and you are running all over the place.It is a desperate attempt to stop Vice President Atiku Abubakar from contesting the 2007 presidential elections."

Many Nigerians fear the face-off could destabilize the country ahead of polls that should mark the first democratic hand-over of power. Africa 's top oil producer returned to civil rule seven years ago after more than three decades of almost continuous military rule.

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 embezzlement   

n.盗用，贪污

参考例句：

• He was accused of graft and embezzlement and was chained and thrown into prison.他因被指控贪污盗窃而锒铛入狱。
• The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement of funds.法官因他盗用公款将其送入监牢。

4 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

8 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

9 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

10 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

11 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

12 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

13 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

14 vendetta   

n.世仇，宿怨

参考例句：

• For years he pursued a vendetta against the Morris family.多年来他一直在寻求向莫里斯家族报世仇。
• She conducted a personal vendetta against me.她对我有宿仇。

15 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

16 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。