Lagos CJ Launches Practice Directions for ACJL, Restorative Justice
Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke, has launched two new practice directions for the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and the Restorative Justice System.
The two new practice directions were launched yesterday, at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja premises, as part of efforts to ensure an effective justice system.
Justice Oke, while presenting the two practice directions, said the documents mark a historical era in criminal justice administration in Lagos State.
The Chief Judge said some of the highlights of the ACJL Practice Direction, includes tightening the Pre-Trial Remand procedure, to address the challenge of Awaiting Trial inmates, introduction of the Plea Bargain Protocol to encourage Plea deals and decongest the Criminal Division docket, and introduction of Case Management Protocol to ensure that the Prosecution and Defence are properly prepared before trial opens.
According to her, criminal justice administration in the country has been beset by a myriad of challenges, ranging from ineffective or incomplete investigations, delays in criminal trials, congested court dockets, the awaiting trial syndrome, and the attendant congestion of our prisons, to name a few.
“Today in Nigeria we have seen countless cases, where Defendants are arrested for minor offences like burglary, wandering, two fighting and so on; they are locked up in our prisons for the flimsiest reasons, and join the teeming population awaiting trial. In fact, the Awaiting trial inmates account for more than 75% of the inmates, in our prisons today.
“They are in our prisons with hardened criminals, and by the time they come out, they have been initiated into a life of crime and are ready to spread terror, death and destruction in their postprison escapades. Lagos State has been at the vanguard, in terms of Criminal Justice Reform, when it passed the ACJL in 2007, and amended it in 2011. Other States followed suit, adopted and improved upon it. Now Lagos State is going further with these new Practice Directions, to realise the goal of expedited trials, improvement in the case disposal rates, and hopefully, this will culminate in the decongestion of our prisons.
“These Practice Directions are being launched today, in keeping with my vision to ensure speedy resolution of our criminal cases, and the entrenchment of restorative justice in the administration of justice in Lagos State, to create more avenues for access to justice, and a holistic approach to criminal justice administration.
“Once the Practice Directions come into operation on 3rd June, 2019, minor offences will be diverted to these Centres, and Restorative Justice outcomes applied, to ensure that persons who commit minor offences will no longer end up in jail. So long as they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions and the harm they have caused, the Centres and the Magistrates Courts will focus on reconciliation with the victim and community at large, rehabilitation, restitution and repair of the harm done, and will as much as possible, under the law, impose non-custodial sentences including fines, restitution orders, community service orders, and so on”, Justice Oke stated.