By Adenike Ayodele

The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) on Wednesday tasked stakeholders in the justice sector to conduct pre-trial reviews in criminal cases, for speedy dispensation of justice.

The group made the call in Ikeja, at a two-day workshop for training of stakeholders on the essence of a National Minimum Standards Document for pre-trial cases.

The workshop is tagged “National Minimum Standards Document on the Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of the 36 States”.

The Programme Officer of CSLS, Mr Kelvin Mejulu, while highlighting the importance of the training, said that National Minimum Standards (NMS) was aimed at promoting uniformity in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

He said the development of NMS for the effective implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, had helped the nation to achieve a milestone in improving its criminal justice system.

Mejulu said that NMS was developed by key stakeholders in the criminal justice sector.

He added that the NMS was designed to create a benchmark for the effective implementation of the ACJA and the criminal justice laws of all the states.

Mejulu said, “The essence of the National Minimum Standards document is to create a benchmark for the implementation of the ACJA and the ACJL of all the states.

“The document outlines the minimum standards that every state’s administration of criminal justice law should meet.

“What we are doing today is to create awareness about the National Minimum Standard document to the stakeholders here so that they can teach their subordinates when they get to their various departments.

“The NMS advocates for states to make practice directions on specific areas, such as the licensing of persons for bail bond and trial within trial.”

Mejulu added that NMS had provided a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of federal and state agencies in realising the objectives of the criminal justice system.

He, however, said though NMS documents did not have the force of law at the moment, it could be implemented through practice direction and amendment of some of the laws.

According to him, the training is simultaneously going on in six other states, Kano, Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Plateau and Abuja.

Earlier, CSLS President, Prof Yemi George-Akinseye, in his welcome remarks, said NMS had effected a significant change for the effective implementation of ACJA in the nation’s criminal justice system.

George-Akinseye said that the NMS had been adopted by the body of attorneys-general, body of solicitors general, and permanent secretaries of the various ministries of justice across the country.

According to him, NMS is designed to consolidate the gains recorded in the implementation of the ACJA in the last few years, thereby bringing together in a single document, the most salient features of the ACJA and ACJL of states.

The president said: “NMS will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of federal and state agencies, in realising the objectives of the criminal justice system.

“Experts have hailed the NMS as a significant step towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Nigeria.

“We believe that the standards will help to promote accountability, transparency and fairness in the administration of justice.

“The adoption of the NMS is a clear indication of the commitment of the Nigerian government to reforming the criminal justice system and promoting the rule of law.”

While speaking, the Director of Community Service Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Tomi Bodude, said the adoption of NMS documents would enhance speedy justice system, thereby giving hope to the common man.

Bodude spoke about de novo cases which sometimes prevented justice from being served on time.

She added that if justice sector equipped itself with NMS documents, justice delay would be a thing of the past. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Omeire