No Offender Should Escape Justice On Mere Technicalities, CJN Tells Judges

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko
Muhammad, has charged judges in Nigeria not to allow criminals to
escape justice on mere technicalities in matters brought before
them.

The CJN told judges to do thorough justice to all matters so
that trust and confidence in the judiciary can be sustained by
litigants and the entire citizenry.

He spoke on Monday, at the opening ceremony of the 2021 national
workshop for investigators and prosecutors, organised by the
National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

According to the CJN, who is also the NJI chairman, “it is often
painful to see offenders walk away on technicalities just because
due diligence was not observed during an investigation or in the
course of the trial.

“To this end, your respective responsibilities have a lasting
impact on the peace, security and stability of this nation, flowing
from the fact that the presence or absence of undesirable elements
in the society is firmly situated within your day-to-day activities
and the powers conferred on you via different legislations.

“Therefore, failure to diligently investigate and prosecute can
further endanger victims, witnesses, and other vulnerable
persons.

“I have no doubt that this workshop will identify aspects that
require improvement and through this, form a network aimed at
promoting cooperation among stakeholders in the criminal justice
sector.”

Earlier in his remarks, the NJI Administrator, Justice Salisu
Garba (Rtd), charged Nigerians to be proactive, bold and avoid
technicalities while administering justice on matters brought
before them by aggrieved citizens.

“I must not fail to emphasize the need for judges in this
country to be proactive, by not allowing technicalities to stand in
the way of substantive justice to aggrieved people.

“The judiciary is saddled with the responsibility of upholding
the Rule of Law by interpreting and applying the relevant laws and
this we will do to the best of our ability,” Justice Garba
stated.

The NJI boss said, the workshop, titled, “promoting uniformity
in the criminal justice system”, will enrich the capacity of
investigators and prosecutors towards the implementation of a
laudable piece of legislation: the VIolation Against Persons
(Prohibition) Act 2015, ” which have given respite to criminal
trials in the justice sector.

“It is pertinent for the participants as Investigators and
Prosecutors to be abreast with the legislations required to
prosecute perpetrators of devious acts in our society,” he said and
added that discussions bordering on the overview of the Terrorism
Prevention Act 2011 as amended in 2013 will be on the front burner
at the workshop.

No
offender should escape justice on mere technicalities, CJN tells
judges^[1]

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko
Muhammad, has charged judges in Nigeria not to allow criminals to
escape justice on mere technicalities in matters brought before
them.

The CJN told judges to do thorough justice to all matters so
that trust and confidence in the judiciary can be sustained by
litigants and the entire citizenry.

He spoke on Monday, at the opening ceremony of the 2021 national
workshop for investigators and prosecutors, organised by the
National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

According to the CJN, who is also the NJI chairman, “it is often
painful to see offenders walk away on technicalities just because
due diligence was not observed during an investigation or in the
course of the trial.

“To this end, your respective responsibilities have a lasting
impact on the peace, security and stability of this nation, flowing
from the fact that the presence or absence of undesirable elements
in the society is firmly situated within your day-to-day activities
and the powers conferred on you via different legislations.

“Therefore, failure to diligently investigate and prosecute can
further endanger victims, witnesses, and other vulnerable
persons.

“I have no doubt that this workshop will identify aspects that
require improvement and through this, form a network aimed at
promoting cooperation among stakeholders in the criminal justice
sector.”

Earlier in his remarks, the NJI Administrator, Justice Salisu
Garba (Rtd), charged Nigerians to be proactive, bold and avoid
technicalities while administering justice on matters brought
before them by aggrieved citizens.

“I must not fail to emphasize the need for judges in this
country to be proactive, by not allowing technicalities to stand in
the way of substantive justice to aggrieved people.

“The judiciary is saddled with the responsibility of upholding
the Rule of Law by interpreting and applying the relevant laws and
this we will do to the best of our ability,” Justice Garba
stated.

The NJI boss said, the workshop, titled, “promoting uniformity
in the criminal justice system”, will enrich the capacity of
investigators and prosecutors towards the implementation of a
laudable piece of legislation: the VIolation Against Persons
(Prohibition) Act 2015, ” which have given respite to criminal
trials in the justice sector.

“It is pertinent for the participants as Investigators and
Prosecutors to be abreast with the legislations required to
prosecute perpetrators of devious acts in our society,” he said and
added that discussions bordering on the overview of the Terrorism
Prevention Act 2011 as amended in 2013 will be on the front burner
at the workshop.

No
offender should escape justice on mere technicalities, CJN tells
judges^[1]