The President of the Court of
Appeal (PCA), Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa has revealed how the Judiciary fast
tracked the trial of former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu and others.
She said the judiciary was
working to eradicate delay in criminal trials.
Justice Bulkachuwa spoke in Abuja
at a workshop on: “Towards national minimum standards for effective
implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and
Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJLs).”
The workshop organised by the
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) is meant to rally stakeholders in all
states and at the Federal Government level for the development of basic or
common minimum standards for the effective implementation of the ACJA and
ACJLs)
“I was part and parcel of the
making of the ACJA from inception. I have also witnessed its implementation.
“So, I was very much interested
in what will come out of it. And, I had the chance to fully participate when
applications were made by the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission),
Federal Ministry of Justice and other prosecuting bodies, that our Justices,
who were appointed from the High Courts, and elevated to the Court of Appeal,
be given fiats to go back to the various High Courts and conclude the case they
have started.
“First, we had to determine at
what stage they could go in. After looking at the ACJA, we saw that once all
the prosecution’s witnesses have testified, there will be no need to start the
matter de novo (start afresh) again. We felt it was more in the interest of
justice to have the matter completed.
“Most of the matters may be
because they are not high profile cases, nobody heard about them. But, I have
given fiats at least, more than 50 times, for Justices of the Court of Appeal
to go back and complete their assignments.
“The most recent is that of
Justice (Mohammed) Idris when he completed the case of former Governor Orji
Kalu. But, before then, I think he has completed not less than 12 or 15 of such
matters.
“I think this is a big plus for
the Criminal Justice Act, because matters now get to be completed within the
shortest time possible and decisively.”
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