The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has
directed heads of the divisions of courts to establish a special court
for corruption and financial crimes cases, Daily Sun reports.
This, he explained will curb the unnecessary delay associated with the prosecution of such cases.
In addition, the CJN has further directed heads of courts to
compile and forward to the National Judicial Council (NJC),
comprehensive lists of all corruption and financial crime cases with
them.
Justice Onnoghen disclosed the measures Monday at the special
session of the Supreme Court where he administered oath on 29 new Senior
Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).
Speaking in the presence of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former
Vice President Alex Ekwueme and other dignitaries including state
governors and past Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justice Onnoghen said they
were aimed at supporting the fight against corruption of the present
administration.
In order for the National Judicial Council (NJC) to monitor and
effectively enforce the foregoing Policy, the CJN announced that an
Anti-Corruption Cases Trial Monitoring Committee will be constituted at
the next Council meeting.
The committee, he explained, “would be saddled with, among
other things the responsibility of ensuring that both Trial and
Appellate Courts handling corruption and financial crime cases key into
and abide by our renewed efforts at ridding our country of the
cankerworm.”
Justice Onnoghen further directed Heads of Courts to clamp down on
both Prosecution and Defence Counsel who indulge in the unethical
practice of deploying delay tactics to stall criminal trials.
He said; “Heads of Courts are now to report such cases to the
NJC which in turn, would transmit them to the Legal Practitioners
Privileges Committee, in the case of Senior Advocates, and Legal
Practitioners Disciplinary Committee in the case of other Legal
Practitioners.”
“Heads of Courts have been directed to designate in their
various jurisdictions, one or more Courts, depending on the volume of
such cases, as Special Courts solely for the purpose of hearing and
speedily determining corruption and financial crime cases.
“Where such cases come on appeal, to either the Court of Appeal
or the Supreme Court, Special Dates on each week, shall be fixed solely
for hearing and determining such appeals.
The CJN noted that the judiciary cannot win this war alone; hence
the need for collaboration and interface with stakeholders in this noble
cause.
“We are under no illusion that the fight against corruption
would be an easy one, as we are already aware that when you fight
corruption, corruption fights back; but we are determined to win it. We
require all hands to be on deck to fight this monster.
“We in the Supreme Court, having reduced the pre-election
appeals in the course of the Third Term of the last Legal year, will
devote much of this First Term in dealing, by way of task work, with the
identified eighteen (18) EFCC, ICPC, and Economic Crime cases alongside
the normal Civil, Criminal, and Political cases,” he revealed.
The CJN observed “We must not lose sight of the indispensable role of the judiciary in the fight against corruption.
“Corruption continues to place the judiciary in the eye of the
storm, but, we cannot allow that to deter us or weaken our resolve. It
is regrettable that the image of the Judiciary has been tarnished by the
notion that the Nigerian Judiciary is bedeviled by corrupt elements,
hence the need for an image building parade.
“We must accept that acts of misconduct of a few rub off on the
rest of the judiciary and create the impression that all judicial
officers have their hands soiled with the proceeds of corruption. Let me
be clear here; it is not going to be business as usual for the few
unscrupulous elements in our midst.”
Source: Tori
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