News Investigators/ Some lawyers have said that there are inadequacies in Nigeria’s justice system, urging strengthening of the system to ensure a more efficient and effective justice delivery.
The lawyers spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
Chibuikem Opara, a Partner at the Justification Chambers in Ikeja, said that the process of appointment of judicial officers should be reviewed to enable the Nigerian Bar Association to make input.
“If the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and its members are given some form of voting power, it would go a long way toward getting better judges, than the present arrangement whereby some are appointed based on political affinity.
“I also feel that there should be complete independence of the judiciary,” Opara said.
He urged the judiciary to recognise its vital role in developing democracy.
Mr Opara said that the judiciary should maintain a balanced relationship with the other arms of government while upholding its independence and impartiality.
Ademola Owolabi of Ademola said that adequate funding of the police and deployment of technology would aid investigations and help to eliminate torture while looking for evidence.
He added that judges and other judicial officers would need regular trainings to effectively apply evolving technologies for justice administration.
The lawyer highlighted the importance of electronic recording and timely production of inmates for trial.
He also urged that prosecution should not be a means of settling scores.
According to him, prosecutions should not be driven by personal interests but by justice.
Kehinde Nubi, a Principal Counsel at Kehinde Nubi and Associates Law Office, Ibadan, said that Nigeria would need to review some of its laws to achieve effective justice delivery.
He also urged equipping of courts with needed resources.
“I believe this should begin with equipping the judiciary with adequate support staff and resources to facilitate a swifter and more efficient administration of justice.
“Furthermore, the often-repeated argument for divesting the Supreme Court of some of its appellate jurisdiction remains valid.
“It is appalling that cases can linger for decades at the Supreme Court, and justice delayed is justice denied.”
He argued that if the Nigerian Constitution would not to be amended to allow each state to have its own supreme court, the Supreme Court could be re-organised into divisions, like the Court of Appeal.
“This may seem unusual as it has not been tried before, but I feel it will enhance dispensation of justice.
“Again, not every case should proceed to court. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) should be increasingly encouraged.
“Rather than being merely a component of the court process, ADR should be ingrained in the public consciousness.
“To this end, from primary school, civic education should include a dedicated curriculum on ADR and administration of justice,” he said.
He regretted that some suspects were found innocent after staying for years in prison custody.
He urged that compensation for wrongful incarceration should be automatic, adding that there should be strict enforcement of laws against framing up of innocent people.
The lawyer said that the administration of the Criminal Justice Act, if well-enforced, would promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
NAN