*Asks judges to resist interference in their duty
By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the judiciary of not doing enough to support the fight against corruption.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at a workshop on the Role of the Judiciary in the Fight against Corruption, organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, the National Judicial Institute, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Commonwealth Secretariat, Buhari said the judiciary had not met public expectation in eradicating delay in trial of criminal cases.
Buhari said: “I am worried that the expectation of the public is yet to be met by the judiciary with regard to the removal of delay and the toleration of delay tactics by lawyers.
“When cases are not concluded the negative impression is given that crime pays.
“So far, the corruption cases filed by government are not progressing as speedily as they should in spite of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 essentially because the courts allow some lawyers to frustrate the reforms introduced by law.
“This certainly needs to change if we have to make success of our collective effort in the fight against corruption.”
Buhari said that even though he recognized the tremendous efforts the judiciary had made to foster justice and accountability in Nigeria, he nevertheless used the occasion to remind the judiciary of the persisting challenges confronting the criminal justice system.
Further details later
