ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Stakeholders in the justice sector have advocated a review of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) to make its implementation more effective in Bayelsa State.
The stakeholders, who made this known during a one-day workshop in Yenagoa, the state capital, observed that there were some grey areas in the implementation of ACJL that necessitated the imperative need to review the legislation.
The workshop, which was supported by the MacArthur Foundation, comprised lawyers and representatives of the judiciary, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the International Association of Women Lawyers, among others.
Speaking at the workshop, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Kate Abiri, said the ACJL came into force in 2019 and was aimed at promoting efficient management of judicial institutions and enhancing quick dispensation of justice.
She, however, declared that there were some lacunae in the law that needed to be improved upon such as a provision that should enable magistrates to go to the police stations to grant bail to suspects detained longer than necessary.
Abiri stated: “There are areas that make it impossible for the purpose and vision of the ACJL to be fully achieved. They in which criminal trials must be commenced and concluded while at the same time respecting the rights of not just the victims, but also the suspects and the defendants as well.
“It is in justice that the ordering of society is centered.”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, ACJ Monitoring Committee, Sulayman Dawodu, explained that the forum was organised to strengthen the implementation of the ACJL in Bayelsa “as it is in places like Lagos, Rivers, Nasarawa and other states where the law is quite effective.
“We are happy to confirm that Bayelsa is one of the states identified for implementing the MacArthur Foundation support project of strengthening the ACJL/JSRT at state level.
“We are grateful to the MacArthur Foundation for this opportunity and filling the vacuum created by our respective governments that have ignored or relegated the development of the criminal justice system to the background.”
On his part, the Bayelsa Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), described the workshop as timely, saying that it would provide opportunity for stakeholders to review the lacuna militating against effective implementation of the ACJL in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Battles State Command, Mr Ben Okolo, assured the stakeholders that the police would work with all stakeholders for the full implementation of the criminal law.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa branch, Ukunbiriowei Saiyo, stated that the importance of the workshop could not be overemphasized, adding that some of the grey areas in the ACJL should be amended.
“We believe that with this training, we will be able to make some necessary amendments to ensure that the justice sector, especially as it has to do with suspects, is properly handled,” he said.