BY OKEY NDIRIBE AND EMMAN OVUAKPORIE
ABUJA — CHIEF Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, Tuesday, suggested that corruption-related offences should not have any option of fine in the dispensation of justice in Nigeria.
Speaking at a one-day public hearing on ‘the administration of Criminal Justice Bill 2013′ organised by the House Committee on Justice, Auta said: “When penalities are stiffened, the incidence of commission naturally comes down but when they are relaxed, the opposite is the case. Corruption related offences should not have any option of fine.
”Most of us still remember the hue and cry that greeted the discretion a judge recently exercised in favour of imposing a fine of N750,000.00 on a culprit who had allegedly stolen money running into billions.
”To most Nigerians that sounded like a slap on the wrist, but if there was no option of fine, at least, seeing the offender cooling off in prison would have been somewhat psychologically therapeutic. “
Speaking further on administration of criminal justice in Nigeria, Auta said corruption was the only reason that could explain the snail’s speed with which the administration of criminal justice was moving in Nigeria, adding that if it was not checked, it would curtail judicial growth in Nigeria.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, observed that “as a country, we need to pay more attention to our laws, particularly those pertaining to the system of criminal justice administration.
”This is because it is impossible to have a sound economy without a solid foundation of good laws that can curb anti-social behaviours and other disruptive tendencies.
”As we develop plans and strategies for the economic and other forms of reforms, we also need to develop plans and programmes for creating sound laws and procedural systems consistent with our commitment with our legislative agenda.
”….It is a great disservice to our country when our criminal justice system is perceived as inefficient and incapable of punishing wrong-doing.
The Chief Judge of Nigeria, CJN Justice Miriam Alooma Muktar, represented by Justice Kumai Akkas, said “the administration of Criminal Justice Bill is a proposal for any Act to make provision for speedy and efficient administration of criminal justice in courts.
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