The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has hosted a webinar/virtual interactive session with Attorneys-General and Heads of Courts of the 36 States and the
Federal Capital Territory.
In his keynote address at the session on Thursday, 4th June, 2020, in Abuja, Malami noted that in order to respond to the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ) had improved on its ICT infrastructure to enable the Ministry carry out its duties.
“The Ministry has completed the establishment of ICT Studios and the deployment of Galaxy Backbone dedicated lines that will facilitate the prosecution of criminal cases as well as the defence of civil cases using the virtual platform”.
“As the biggest Law Chamber in Nigeria and if not in Africa, the Federal Ministry of Justice must continue to lead the process of innovation in the administration of justice. To complement this effort, the Nigerian Correctional Service is also being engaged on establishment of Studios in the Correctional Centres to make it possible for evidence of suspects in custody to be taken without their physical presence in court. This will ensure that the administration of justice is not disrupted,” he said.
Malami noted that ICT was being introduced in the receipt and processing of correspondence between the Ministry and the general public, to further minimize person-to-person contact between officials of the Ministry and members of the general public.
He reiterated the desire to work with stakeholders to articulate a holistic response to the challenges posed by the CoVID-19 pandemic to the administration of justice in the country.
He emphasized on the need for a paradigm shift in the administration of justice through the deployment of appropriate technologies to drive the administration of justice.
He said the purpose of the virtual meeting was to provide the platform for engagement and articulation of our collective views on the issues arising from the CoVID-19 pandemic and harmonise our resolutions on the way forward.
Malami said the advent of CoVID-19 and the efforts to manage its spread and reduce the human and economic devastation occasioned by the pandemic, had made it imperative to adopt systems that would reduce the physical presence or involvement of persons in the judicial process, through the deployment of technology to achieve the same objective for which physical presence was intended,” he further said.
The Minister noted that the justice system is founded on the constitutional principle of fundamental rights to fair hearing that requires the court to hear and determine cases in public and the physical presence of the suspects or parties in court.
He noted that in view of the COVID-19 situation, it hasmd become imperative for the Government to put in place, legislations and policies that would engender a justice system that promotes social/physical distancing through the application of appropriate technologies in the dispensation of justice and the promotion of rule
of law.
He used the opportunity to commend and appreciate the Heads of Courts and Attorneys-General, who have already started the process of deploying and applying virtual court rooms and proceedings to promote social distancing and minimize the physical presence of court users.
However, there have been arguments as to whether the application of
virtual court hearing meets the constitutional requirements of fair
hearing.
“I am of the view that this meeting offers an opportunity for further discussion on the issue and a common position taken. This is without prejudice to the ongoing deliberations in the National Assembly to amend section 36(2) & (3) of the Constitution. As stakeholders, we have a duty to ensure that the pandemic is not allowed to ground the administration of justice machinery to a halt. We must continue to forge the needed synergy and collaboration to administer justice in
the face of the pandemic and in line with global best practice”.
On measures to decongest Correctional Centres nation-wide, the Minister expressed appreciation that about six thousand, five hundred and ninety (6590) inmates have so far been released through the work of the Presidential Committee on the decongestion of Correctional Centres and that of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy Committee.
The Minister said concerted efforts are being made by the Federal Government to strengthen judicial and democratic institutions for the benefit of our people which he described as critical to the attainment of the anti-corruption drive of the current administration and the overall improvement in the administration of justice.
Malami disclosed that the Federal Government has constituted Committees on Implementation of Directive on Designated Corruption Prosecution Courts to actualize the directive of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to Heads of Courts to designate specific courts for the prosecution of all corruption related cases with the aim of fast-tracking their completion.
He informed the participants that the Federal Government has established a Committee on the Review of Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service principally to ensure that the welfare of judicial officers reflect current realities.
The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dayo Apata, SAN was at the meeting to give vote of thanks.
Present at the meeting were, Secretary to the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion, Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, Secretary to the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee, Felix Ota-Okojie and Officials of the Ministry.
Participants at the webinar/virtual interactive session included Chief Judge, FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello, Prof. Yemi Akinseye George amongst others as well as Attorneys-General representing the six geographical zones of the country.
Modupe Ogundoro
Deputy Director
4th June, 2020
