Abuja – The FCT Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Ishaq Bello, on Wednesday in Abuja said the administration of Criminal Justice Act (CJA) would help to decongest the prisons.
The CJ said this at the opening ceremony of a one-day workshop organised by the Human Rights Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch, on the administration of CJA.
He said 3,500 awaiting trial cases that were before the magistrates were recently assigned to high court judges for speedy dispensation of justice, adding that “suspects should be arraigned before courts of competent jurisdiction’’.
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Bello said henceforth there won’t be detainees from magistrate courts because of their lack of jurisdiction to try such cases to enhance speedy trials.
He explained that the act was comprehensive in nature, consisting of 495 sections with detailed provisions on arrests, warrants, investigations, convictions and imprisonments.
Mrs Betty Umegbulem, the Chairman of the committee, said the delays in the dispensation of justice experienced in various courts would be curbed, if the act was applied strictly.
She said before the enactment of the act the greatest challenge to the criminal justice system was the incessant delays inherent in the system.
The chairman added that the act also mandated the record of every confessional statement by a suspect to the police.
“We are all aware that crime prevention is a herculean task world over, and every country is bedevilled with its own peculiar difficulties and challenges in the administration of criminal justice.
“These challenges ranges from mere impediments such as difficulty in accessing justice, procedural delays in the criminal justice system, calculated attempts to clog the wheel of justice.
Mr Joe Kyari-Gadzama (SAN) said the administration of the CJA would ensure that professional services are rendered to clients.
He said it is a welcome development that would fight delayed justices, provided the lawyers do not perpetrate stumbling blocks to the administration.
He said the act would ensure speedy dispensation of justice in criminal cases within two-three months while civil cases would take six months to complete.
Mr Chino Obiagwu of the Legal and Defence Department, NBA Abuja chapter, had earlier said the criminal justice bill has the power to reduce delays of justice in criminal cases.
“We must have a data base if we are going to manage the criminal justice act,’’ said Obiagwu.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, who was represented by Mr David Igbodo, a Chief Prosecution Officer in Force Headquarters, said the CJA would ensure that justice is done to the defendant, victims and the society.
According to him, the police force would establish a data base to get the finger print of a defendant when giving statement as an implementation of the act.
Mr Johnson Ojogbani, an Assistant Director, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said the commission would benefit more in the administration of the CJA.
He cited Metuh’s case that is currently undergoing speedy trial at the Federal High Court as a typical example of the administration of the act.
Mr Yinka Lawal, a representative of the Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, (PRAWA), commended the introduction of CJA.
He said the act would prevent people from languishing in the prisons and promised to provide support for the full implementation of the act. (NAN)
