The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has promised continued commitment to the improvement of the criminal justice system.
The minister expressed delight about the impact of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 on the prosecution of criminal cases in the nation’s courts since the enactment of the law.
He said: “It has helped in enhancing convictions, plea bargaining, prohibition of arrest by proxy and support asset recovery.”
Fagbemi noted that the law has also reduced delays in case management, congestion in courts, and overcrowded correctional centres.
The AGF spoke yesterday in Abuja at the unveiling of two documents to aid the implementation of ACJA – the National Minimum Standards (NMS) on the Implementation of ACJA 2015, and the Harmonised Restorative Justice Training Curriculum and Manual.
He explained that the NMS provides a unified framework and benchmark for justice sector institutions and stakeholders to ensure consistency, accountability, and improved performance across the country.
The minister said: “Over the past decade, Nigeria has undertaken several reforms aimed at improving the efficiency, fairness, and accountability of our criminal justice system.
“One of the key pillars of these reforms has been the implementation of the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which introduced innovative mechanisms to ensure speedy justice delivery and the decongestion of correctional centres.
The Director Administration of Criminal Justice and Reform Department in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, said the ministry recorded notable strides in implementing Restorative Justice (RJ) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, applauded the contribution of the ACJA to the prosecution of criminal cases in the courts.
Represented by Justice James Omotosho (also of the Federal High Court), Justice Tsoho described the ACJA as revolutionary in outlook and maximally promoting efficiency and fairness.
The President of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS), Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), made a lengthy presentation about the essence of the NMS and why judges must adopt it.
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