Enugu CJ Launches Administration Of Criminal Justice Law

The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Ngozi Emehelu, yesterday, launched the Administration of the Criminal Justice Law with a pledge to ensure its effective implementation in the state.
The Chief Judge, represented by Justice Afam Nwobodo of the state High Court, said that the law would bring about changes and improvement in the administration of criminal justice in the state.
“The law introduced numerous innovations aimed at fast tracking justice delivery with the goal of preserving the rights of accused persons who are now referred to as defendants.
“The new law provides that when any person is arrested and volunteers to make a confessional statement, the police shall ensure the making and taking of such statement.
“This should be done either through a video recorder or any other retrievable device and the devices produced at trial.
“This will take care of the rampant allegations of threat, duress and brutality in obtaining of confessional statements from suspects by the police,” she said.
Emehelu said to ensure effective implementation of the law, 10,000 copies of the law had been produced and would be distributed to lawyers in the state.
She explained that the gesture would act as a guide for lawyers to ensure effective implementation of the law.
A facilitator and trainer of the Enugu State Justice Reform Team (ESJRT), Mrs Justina Offiah (SAN), emphasised the need for training of lawyers on the application of the law.
Offiah, a onetime Attorney General of the state said that the training would help to clear technicalities of the law and make them familiar to lawyers.