Orders day-to-day trial of corruption cases
By Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
Worried by delay justice dispensation, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has directed judges handing corruption cases to fast-track on daily basis.Mohammed said the National Judicial Council ( NJC), would not hesitate to descend on any judge found to had stayed proceeding on any criminal matter beyond necessary.
Speaking at the flag-off of the 2016 Refresher Course for judicial officers on current trends in law and administration of justice, said the measure became necessary in view of mounting criticisms against the Judiciary.
Addressing participants at the 5-day workshop, comprising federal and state, the CJN, said they must learn to “treat cases related to economic crimes and corruption with the necessary urgency”.
He maintained that the essence of the newly enacted Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, was to forestall situations where accused persons use frivolous interlocutory applications to frustrate their trial.
In the theme of the workshop: “Promoting Judicial Performance through Innovations and Reforms” the CJN said: “The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the system of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of the society from crime and protection of the rights and interests of the suspect, the defendant and the victim.
“My lords, as you all are well aware, the Judiciary has had to endure intense, largely unjustified and grossly uninformed criticisms regarding delay in the administration of justice.
“However, I am proud that the Judiciary was well ahead of the curve when the 2013 practice directions on serious crimes were adopted as the Directions were aimed at reducing criminal trial delays.
“Nonetheless, the new Act strengthens our resolve as it provides that applications for stay of proceedings shall no longer be heard in respect of a criminal matter before the court.
“This unprecedented provision puts a stop to the delays occasioned by interlocutory applications to stay proceedings pending appeal on preliminary matters when the substantive issues are yet to be tried on the merits.
“Upon arraignment, the trial of the defendant shall proceed from day-to-day until the conclusion of the trial, while each party is entitled to only five adjournments not exceeding two weeks each.
Where the trial is still not concluded, the interval for adjournments will be reduced to seven days each.
“Judges must also be stringent in applying the law strictly in order to render justice in a
In her welcome address, the administrator of the NJI, Justice Roseline Bozimo, stressed that “Law Reforms and innovations in the Judiciary are a necessity for the purpose of enhancing and promoting judicial performance”.
She said the Nigerian Judiciary has experienced innovations and reforms in recent times, prominent among which was the passing into Law of the ACJA, 2015.
