Chief Magistrate Calls for Utilization of Anambra Criminal Justice Law for speedy Justice Delivery

By Praise Chinecherem

Citizens of Anambra State have been urged to take advantage of innovations contained in the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2022, which are meant to address all obstacles to speedy dispensation of justice in the area.

A Chief Magistrate, Dr Mike Anyadiegwu made the appeal during an interaction with non-state actors organized by Justice Development and Peace/Caritas, (JDPC), Onitsha, supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme, implemented by International IDEA and funded by European Union, to raise awareness on the provisions of ACJL, for improved justice delivery in the area.

According to him, the law now permits police officers who are not lawyers to prosecute offenders in courts, while also giving vigilante operatives the power of arrest just like any other private citizen of Nigeria.

“However, vigilante does not have power to detain anybody in their custody. They are to arrest and hand over to the police. The law prohibits arrest in lieu and arrest over contractual wrongs”.

“ACJL 2022 also seeks to reduce the number of awaiting trial inmates even as it provides for a central criminal registry to track down serial offenders. Unfortunately, this is not yet in place.

“Under the law, victims of crime are now compensated while the offenders face the penalties. In section 177 (3), jumping bail is no longer attractive. The law says trial should continue and judgment delivered in the absence of the accused”.

In a remark, RoLAC State Coordinator, Josephine Onah, tasked all stakeholders to work together to justify her organization’s huge investment aimed at strengthening the state justice sector. “In criminal justice, it commences from the police and gets to the prison.

So, everybody including traditional rulers, presidents-general, lawyers, civil society activists, journalists and many others should be involved. We must all understand the law and comply with it.

“We also want the CSOs to monitor implementation of this law. You are all very important change agents. So, let’s all join hands together. Whatever you learn here today, please take it to your community,” she pleaded.

The Secretary, Anambra State Justice Sector Monitoring Committee, Rose Okeke, who represented its Chairman and Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, regretted that prior to the law, administration of criminal justice in had been slow in the state as different agencies kept passing the buck to each other.

“The committee was constituted to ensure effective and efficient application of the provisions of the law by the different justice sector agencies. A major responsibility is ensuring speedy dispensation of criminal matters and that ATPs did not stay longer in correctional centres when their matter has been revealed to us. The committee is also to give directives and policy as to achieve the objective of the law”.

Earlier, Executive Director, JDPC Onitsha, Father Edwin Udoye, remarked, “We gather as stakeholders committed to the pursuit of justice, fairness, and accountability in our beloved state. Your presence here is a testament to the collective resolve of Non-State Actors to strengthen the rule of law and ensure the effective administration of justice for all.

This training is a step towards building stronger partnerships between state and non-state actors, fostering collaboration that will ultimately benefit our communities”.

The event afforded participants opportunity to share their experiences with various actors in the justice sector including the police, the Ministry of Justice, the lawyers and other law enforcement agencies.

It ended with all participants resolving to contribute their quotas towards effective implementation of ACJL in Anambra State.