The Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Kwara, Mr Muhammed Akande, has called for adequate funding of the justice sector to enhance administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.
Akande made the call while delivering his keynote address at the 2019 Kwara Biennial Law Week with the theme: “Advancing Socio-Economic Fortunes through Effective Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria.”
He said effective administration of criminal justice in Nigeria required good laws and conducive court environment.
According to him, funding of investigative and prosecuting agencies such as the police and the judiciary would also signal seriousness in handling criminal cases.
“The position of our court is in a bad shape in Kwara State. We still have like four or five magistrates sharing a court room.
“It is not all about good laws alone but proper funding to ensure condusive environment to deliver judgments,” he said.
The chairman called for a robust practice in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria rather than the resort to ” charge-and-bail pattern now in existence.”
He said the theme was to help check the wave of the ever increasing crime rate and speedily bring criminals to book and protect the victims of crime.
Akande said innovations contained in the new law on administration of criminal justice includes a specific format for recording of the arrest of suspects on video or audio.
He also said the law included monthly visits to police stations by the Chief Magistrate in Section 46 as well as regulation of time for giving and submission of legal advice to parties and the court within 30 days in Section 381 among others.
NAN reports that the 2019 Kwara Law Week commenced on Monday and would end on Wednesday.
