ACJL Criminalizes Police Brutality, Says Jurist
By Abdulgafar Oladimeji
- The Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL has criminalized police brutality, Hon Justice Peter Obiora has said
The Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL has criminalized police brutality, Hon Justice Peter Obiora has said.
Justice Obiora, who was the lead facilitator at a two days’ workshop on ACJL organized by Rule of law Action (RoLAC)for magistrates and High Court judges serving in Kano held at Tahir Guest Palace on Thursday said the newly enacted law also abolish the extraction of dependent statements from suspects.
He said ACJL provides suspects under custody with the choice to provide statements in the presence of their legal representatives or other persons of their choice.
The jurist explained that the ACJL provides for detainees to be release if detained for 60 days without charges, noting that this development would cause for speedy trial of criminal cases.
According to him, the law provides for criminal cases to be adjourned not more than five times within its life span, explaining that this provision would hinder unnecessary request for adjournments by the prosecution and defense counsels.
“On the issue of appeal and stay of proceedings, the new law has abolished stay of proceedings, if trial starts it does not stop in any way ”Justice Obiora stated.
The chief judge Kano state High Court of Justice, Justice Nura Sagir stated that the implementation of the ACJL is faced with numerous challenges, noting that to implement the law sitting magistrates and High Court judges must be up and doing.
He added that the success of the new law depends of collaboration between the police, judiciary, ministry of justice and Legal Cid council and Correctional Services.
The chief judge Kano state High Court of justice, Justice Nura Sagir has stated that the domestication of the Administration of Criminal justice law would halt infringements on the
