Group Trains Anambra Judicial Officers on Effective Criminal Justice Delivery

By Praise Chinecherem

Key actors in the justice sector of Anambra State have been charged to spear no efforts in ensuring effective and efficient implementation of the state administration of criminal justice law, ACJL 2022.

The call was made by speakers at a capacity building workshop organized by Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, for actors drawn from the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Correctional Service, state counsels in the ministry of justice, judges and magistrates, office of public defenders as well as legal aid and National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC).

During the event, supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme implemented by International IDEA and funded by European Union, the President of the Centre, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, who joined the meeting virtually, said it was designed to promote a deeper understanding of the provisions of the National Minimum Standards for effective implementation of administration of criminal justice law.

“The body of Attorneys-General in the country under the able chairmanship of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has adopted the document as a basis for implementing reforms and measuring impact by justice sector agencies and operatives.

“These standards will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of federal and state agencies in realizing the objectives of the criminal justice system. A national Scoresheet or board will be developed in due course to show the ranking of each state in the implementation of the ACJ Legislation. The current National Scoresheet has Delta State as the foremost state in implementing the ACJ Legislation whilst Ebonyi and Zamfara occupy the lowest positions.

The RoLAC Project Coordinator in the, Dr Josephine Onah, assured of her organization’s continued support towards improving the justice delivery system in the area. “When RoLAC supported the review of the administration of criminal justice law 2010 leading to the enactment of a new one in 2022, we hadn’t this National Minimum Standard. We had to go searching for reforms in other jurisdictions. As other states are reviewing their laws, they look at what Anambra has done as well”.

“We are happy that we have this document to guide everyone. I tell you, there’s no limit to what we can do to implement this law. So, we call on all the organizations. Let us come together and make that collaborative effort to make this law work for all of us,” she pleaded.

The State Chief Judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, represented by Justice David Onyefulu, commended the organizers of the event, CSLS and RoLAC for the support that made it possible. “The Chief Judge said I should convey his support to the organizers of this programme. RoLAC’s efforts in transforming the criminal justice system in Anambra State is appreciated.

“Anambra, being one of the first states to introduce ACJL, has been forefront of its implementation. In October last year, the Chief Judge of the State gave a practice direction that has helped greatly in ensuring speedy dispensation of justice. Prosecutors here can testify to the fact the problem we use to have with confessional statement has been taken care of by that practice direction”.

The Chairman, Magistrates Association, Anambra State chapter, Magistrate Onome Nwankwo, remarked, “The National Minimum Standards is a document that should be applicable in every state. For instance, when you have someone convicted of stealing and sentenced to two-month imprisonment in Anambra State, it should be the same judgment in every other state”.

“Aligning our own law with the National Minimum Standards will help us to expand our frontiers. Every participant is expected to go back and step down the training with their colleagues so that all will be informed. That will help to ensure uniform justice implementation system in all the states.

For her part, the Project Manager of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Esther Ugo-Gbeyide, described the national minimum standards as an advocacy document. “It contains some standards that are futuristic. However, some of them are already being implemented in some of the states.

“The document is also meant to trigger healthy competition among states for advocacy for amendment of some laws which are not up to the standard and also to build a benchmark for measuring level of implementation in all the states,” Ugo-Gbeyide explained.