Declogging Cases In FCT High Court

By AHURAKA ISAH

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubarkar Malami (SAN) recently announced that the government hired
lawyers in private practice to provide legal representation for
indigent Nigerians awaiting trials in various prison facilities
across the country.

Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata made this known in Abuja at a
roundtable on building the culture of Pro-bono in Nigeria, jointly
organised by the Ministry of Justice, Justice Research Institute
and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Apata in his remarks noted that many Nigerians have been denied
justice while some remain in prisons awaiting trials because they
could not afford legal fees.

The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Deputy
Director, Department of Public Prosecution, in the ministry, Mr.
Julious Ajakaye, explained that some infringement were occasioned
by gross deprivation of fundamental human rights, thereby
effectively denying indigent Nigerians they justice they
deserve.

He however noted that the government has led a number of
initiatives including the establishment of Legal Aid Council in
1077, and the prison Decongestion Reform programme.

“Statistics indicate that a disappointing percentage of inmates
in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trails inmates largely because
they cannot afford legal representation. As part of the initiative,
government through the office of the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice firmed out cases to private
practitioners and external solicitors to provide legal
representation to verifies indigent inmates in various prison
facilities,” he said.

The ministry disclosed that citizen’s inability to access legal
services has led to a sad state of affairs where citizens are
unable to redress violations to infringement on their rights.

In an effort to complement Malami’s effort and to ensure that
families in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are not extorted
while trying to get justice, Chief Judge, of the FCT, Justice Ishaq
Bello set up declogging panels to decongest courts in the FCT of
the backlog of criminal cases and civil matters.

While inaugutating the panel, Bello disclosed that over 300
cases have already been identified for quick adjudication.

He also urged the FCT Police Command to sieve cases that are not
prosecutable in order not to saddle the court with unnecessary
responsibility.

The panels which comsititutes of two different teams, are being
headed by Justice Sunday Ameh and Justice Olasumbo Goodluck.

They are expected to review pending cases before the courts in
the FCT and dispense with prolonged matters in a dispatch
manner.

While inaugurating the panels, Bello obserbed that relatives of
inmates are usually extorted on daily basis by those with
prosecutorial powers in the country.

“My heart bleeds when I come to think of how the families of
those behind bars could get extorted on daily basis under the
ground that charges would be reduced for their relations or even
set free from the prisons.

“These people are being extorted and they dare not open their
mouths because they fear that they might be aggravating the
conditions of their own behind bars,” he said.

He added that the syndrome of adjournment of cases on the
grounds that investigation is not concluded will no longer be
tolerated.

“If we discharge any suspect, let them re-arrest. We will not
make any order against arrest. But as soon as they do that, we are
giving them two weeks within which they must lead evidence,” he
said.

He said the Settlement Week Committee would be charged with the
adjudication of over 300 civil cases (some dating as far back as
2006) through the alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

With the seeming cooperation of the FCT Police Command, the
courts and detention facilities may feel a sigh of relief.

Director Legal Services in the FCT police command, Mr. James
Idachaba noted that the command would work effectively with the
panel.

“Those cases we can no longer continue with their trials, we
will be very straightforward to say so,” Idachaba said.

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