Chief
Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello
THE Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice
Ishaq Bello on Thursday said fundamental human rights of accused
persons in police cells and other detention centres must be
respected.
Justice Bello, who stated this in Abuja while inaugurating the
working group on the implementation of Section 34 of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), said suspects are
entitled to their fundamental human rights.
He said in view of the need for people to have faith in the
judicial system of the country, there should not be a case of
torture and illegal detention in police cells or other detention
facilities.
Justice Bello said ACJA was enacted to address the challenges
confronting the country’s criminal justice system and added that,
it is in that view that the working group on the implementation of
the act was inaugurated.
“We want the public to have faith in the system. When you hear
about confessional statements, there shouldn’t be a question of
whether it was voluntary or not and also, there should not be a
question of torture in police cells or, people being detained
beyond statutory periods”, he said.
The Chief Judge said the country is trying to measure up to
international standard and best practices, adding that the
inauguration of the working group will birth the desired change in
the area of human rights of persons in a police station and other
detention centres.
He said police stations and detention centres across the country
should be ACJA compliant, just as he noted that the working group
will act as a monitoring mechanism and will enhance transparency on
what goes on in detention centres.
He charged the working group to come up with strategies for the
effective implementation of the project.
Justice Bello said the proposed visit to the police station will
provide a platform to introduce a legal advice scheme to ensure
suspects and victims have access to free legal advice and that they
are kept in humane conditions as the ACJA anticipates.
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