Align with Senate, Pass Criminal Justice Bill, Varsity Don Urges House of Reps

* Says bill abolishes trial-within-trial, establishes sex offender register in FCT 

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The House of Representatives have been urged to follow the steps of the Senate in passing the 2022 Administration of Criminal Justice Bill.

A Law Professor and President of the Center for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS), Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), who made the appeal on Monday in Abuja, said that the speedy passage of the bill will enhance the speedy dispensation of justice, as well as strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

According to the law professor, the bill already passed by the upper chamber has removed obstacles such as trial-within-trial amongst others, that usually clogs the wheel of justice. 

“The Center for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) commends the leadership of the Senate and the distinguished senators for their commitment to justice sector reform in general and to the strengthening of the criminal procedure system in particular.

“By passing the ACJ Bill 2022, which contains several innovative provisions, the distinguished senators have made clear their strong determination and political will to consolidate the country’s democracy by strengthening the system of criminal justice administration which is one of the major instruments for promoting accountability and rectitude in the country,” he said.

Some of the innovations he listed in the 2022 ACJ Bill include the express abolition of the practice of trial-within-trial; continuation of hearing when a trial judge dies, is transferred or posted or otherwise unable to continue with a trial; establishment of Sex Offender Register in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); filing of defence witness deposition; recording of demeanour of witnesses; and dispensation to a justice of the Court of Appeal to conclude part-heard criminal matter.

Akinseye-George observed that the bill as passed by the Senate also seeks to harmonize the provisions of non-custodial sentences with those of the Nigeria Correctional Service Act, 2019, which recognizes the prime position of the Correctional Service as the agency responsible for implementing non-custodial sentences in the country. 

While stating that “all these and other key innovations, which endeared the ACJA 2015 to the stakeholders and development partners are retained by the ACJ Bill, 2022”, the CSLS accordingly appealed to the House of Representatives “to concour with the red chamber by speedily passing the ACJ Bill, 2022, which enjoyed the inputs from leading stakeholders like the Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)”, and others.

The center thanked the leadership of the House of Representatives in advance for the anticipated speedy legislative action on the bill.