Lagos judiciary launches 2 practice direction to tackle “minor offences”

To ensure an effective justice system, Lagos State Judiciary, yesterday, launched two new practice directions for the Administration of Criminal Justice Law(ACJL) and the Restorative Justice system.

Speaking at the launch, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, said: “Criminal justice administration in the country has been beset by a myriad of challenges ranging from ineffective or incomplete investigations, delays in criminal trials, congested court dockets, the awaiting trial syndrome and the attendant congestion of our prisons, to name a few.

“Today in Nigeria, we have seen countless cases where defendants are arrested for minor offences such as burglary, wandering, two fighting and so on, and are locked up in our prisons for the flimsiest reasons and join the teeming population awaiting trial

“In fact the awaiting trial inmates account for more than 75% of the inmates in our prisons today.

“Once the Practice Direction comes into operation on June 3, minor offences will be diverted to these centres and Restorative Justice outcomes applied to ensure that persons who commit minor offences will no longer end up in jail.

“So long as they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions and the harm they have caused, the centres and the Magistrate’s Courts will focus on reconciliation with the victim and community at large, rehabilitation, restitution and repair of the harm done and will as much as possible, under the law, impose non-custodial sentences including fines, restitution orders, community service orders and so on.”