Criminal Law Review: FCT laws are obsolete – Stakeholders
By Ebere Agozie
Stakeholders at the Rule of Law Development Foundation 5th annual Criminal Law Review say the laws being operated by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are obsolete and need to be reviewed.
They made observation in a communique issued at the end of the 5th review in Abuja.
The communique was read by the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, SAN on Wednesday in Abuja.
The conference has the theme “Revitalisation of the Administration of Justice in Nigeria: Federal Capital Territory Criminal Justice System in Focus”.
According to the communique, the substantive criminal law i.e. the Penal Code and its procedural component Criminal Procedure Code are obsolete, adding that the time to reform them is ripe.
The foundation also called for a review of the law that permits the EFCC to confiscate suspects’ properties, some of which may have been acquired before they assumed public office.
“That Section 29 of the EFCC Act on forfeiture and freezing of assets, which gives the EFCC unchecked rights to seize the property of suspects without regard to the observance of the fundamental rights to property and liberty is manifestly unjust and such provisions need to be revisited,” he said.
It also cautioned lawyers from filing frivolous applications in courts and commenting on pending court cases in the media.
On the Rivers State crisis, they agreed that the president was right to have intervened because he had the responsibility to safeguard the country from having a fresh security flashpoint with potential impact on the economy.
“We hope that those who have been fanning the embers of disagreement between the two parties would not go back and try to torpedo the newfound peace and harmony between them because they are making money from it”. (NAN)
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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola
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