The Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Sa’idu Sifawa, has inaugurated 13-member committee on Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) to ensure speedy trials and decongestion of correctional centres in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration was conducted along with the opening of a workshop on ACJL, supported by MacArthur Foundation and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Inaugurating the committee on Monday in Sokoto, Justice Sifawa said the committee, named ”Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee”, was established under section 468 of ACJL of Sokoto state.
He noted that Sokoto is one of the states of the federation that has domesticated ACJL. It was signed by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal on May 19, 2019.
Sifawa said the committee was necessitated by the realisation of the medium through which the objectives of the ACJL would be achieved.
”ACJL aims at ensuring that administration of criminal Justice system becomes more efficient in terms of management of the criminal Justice institutions.
”It ensures speedy administration of justice, protection of the society from crimes, protection of the right and interests of suspects, defendants and victims,” the Chief Judge said.
He assured more commitments toward strengthening criminal justice system through easing difficulties often encountered by trial judges, lawyers and litigants.
”Members of the committee are expected to work effectively towards implementation of our responsibilities as enshrined under section 469 of ACJL,” he said.
According to him, the committee will ensure that criminal cases are speedily dealt with, congestion of criminal cases in court reduced, decongestion of prisons and awaiting trials persons are not detained in correctional centres.
An official statement said the committee would also enhance relationship between organs charged with responsibility of criminal justice, collate, analyse, publish information in relation to criminal justice administration, and submit quarterly reports to the Chief Judge in order to keep him abreast on the developments toward improved criminal justice delivery and necessary actions.
In his address, the Attorney General (AG) of Sokoto state, Mr Suleiman Usman (SAN), said the committee will dismantle all barriers for effective administration of criminal justice.
Usman said the committee will, among other major achievements, reduce hindrance that defer and prolong criminal trials aimed at enhancing and smoothening the processes.
He said the committee would ensure speedy cases, which would ensure daily trials in courts and reduce the trial span to a year devoid of average of 10 years of trial span allowed at the high courts.
”It is on this note that I stressed the importance of strategy through synergy, sharing of information, knowledge and skills in Justice administration,” he said.
According to him, the committee’s establishment is in line with state government’s efforts on laws review, updated, modernisation to ensure that laws become fair and reasonable as well look at the need for new laws to be enacted in order to meet the current developmental challenges.
”We embark on reforms in Sokoto state to ensure that administration of justice is responsive, speedy and justice driven.
”The realities have emerged that we need more than review, we must fill existing gaps by ensuring that laws that are not in existence, but are necessary for order and good governance of Sokoto state, are enacted.
”Obsolete laws should be modernised and updated while redundant laws are repealed before we embark on consolidation and publication of new Laws of Sokoto State, 2021,” Usman added.
NAN reports that the event was attended by judges, government and private counsels, prosecuting agencies and others.
