LAGOS — Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad Uwais yesterday faulted the nation’s criminal justice system, saying it has failed to respond to the needs of the society by checking escalation of crimes and bringing criminals to book.
Justice Uwais, who was chairman at the 3rd Stakeholders Summit held to reform criminal justice system in Lagos State, picked holes in the country’s criminal justice system, describing it as an outdated system, which had been in existence since 1916 and 1945 respectively unreviewed, hence it has failed to address social and economic changes in Nigeria.
According to him, “There is no gainsaying that our criminal justice system seems to have lost its capacity to respond to the needs of the society to check escalation of crime and bring criminals to book.
“This is why the punishment provided for crimes in the criminal code law (CCL) are now found to be grossly inadequate to meet the level of our development. Similarly, the procedure provided by criminal procedure law entails delay in both prosecution of offences and trials by courts.”
He noted that for the people to have faith in the judicial system, the administration of justice must meet the yearnings of the people with the law serving as a deterrent to criminals.
He added that “presently the law does not appear to serve as a deterrent to criminals, as it leads to the guilty being acquitted; the amount prescribed as fine is grossly inadequate, and it does not provide for a reliable alternative to prison sentence in order to avoid prison congestion.”
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Bola Tinubu said: “The law and rule of law is the only real hope for our nation and the democratic journey we began in 1999.”
He said since the judiciary is the stop gap between freedom and dictatorship, its continued independence and the enhancement of its ability to perform, must be given due attention.
The governor disclosed that the state executive council had approved a memorandum for the refurbishment and renovation of magistrate's courts and welfare package of magistrates, adding that fast track courts and use of IT in trial procedure and court administration would soon be introduced.
In his own address, the state chief judge, Justice Fatai Adeyinka declared that the bench in the state is irrevocably committed to ensuring changes in line with the administration’s vision. Citing the creation of matrix of courts, establishment of courts complex housing series of courts and introduction of “red judges” as examples, the chief judge said the judiciary has since moved from the era of being a directorate of the ministry of justice to an independent arm of government.
He described the Lagos State efforts as signposting a revolution in commitment to the whole process that reform can take root from. Those at the occasion included Justices Ejiwami of the Supreme Court, chief judges of Benue, Kwara, and Ogun states, and Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr. Sunday Ehindero.
