Benue State government has been called upon to provide adequate manpower and logistics for critical stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the state Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL, 2019.
Stakeholders made this call at a one-day meeting on Effective Implementation of the Benue State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019, organized by Justice and Rights Initiative, JRI, in partnership with Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Makurdi Branch with funding support from Human Rights Law Service, HURILAWS, Lagos.
Speaking during the meeting, stakeholders observed that the State Ministry of Justice has only about 72 lawyers under its employ who are saddle with the responsibility of attending both civil and criminal cases in the state.
The meeting which observed that the work load will be unbearable for them noted that the number Law Officers shows gross inadequacy of legal professional personnel urged the state government to employ more lawyers to ensure effective implementation of the law.
They meeting also obsessed that the police needs manpower and logistics support to enable them carry out timely investigation of cases.
According to the stakeholders, there is also need for all critical stakeholders; police magistrates, the Correctionak Services and the lawyers, to synergize to ensure that all cases are prosecuted on time to avoid delays and over detention of suspects.
The meeting while urging all parties to wake up to their responsibilities insisted that, “lawyers must avoid delays, courts must sit on time, the police must carry out proper investigation while the Correctional Service must provide inmates in court as at when due for quick dispensation of all cases.
Welcoming participants earlier, the Chairman of NBA, Makurdi Branch, and Executive Director Justice and Rights Initiative, Barr. Justin Gbagir representing HURILAWS said the objective of the ACJL which is to ensure speedy dispensation of Justice, protection of the society from crime and protection of the rights and interest of suspect, the defendant and the victim must be achieved.
He noted that the Police are still taking cases to Magistrate Courts on First Information Report, FIR, and the Magistrates are remanding suspects in custody thereby defeating the mischief the ACJL is intended to cure.
Participants were drawn from the NBA, police, Correctional Service (Prisons), the High Court, Magistrates, Ministry of Justice, Justice Right Initiative among others.
