Henry Ojelu
The Lagos State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, (SAN), said the state government has concluded plans to deploy district officers to take over the prosecution of cases from the police in the Magistrates Court
Onigbanjo disclosed at the weekend while speaking with journalists on the report of the Advisory Committee set up by the state government to review prosecution of cases in court.
The commissioner said the district prosecutors would be deployed to Ogba, Ebute-Metta, and Ikorodu Magistrates Court as a pilot scheme.
According to him, the district prosecutor will vet the police charges before prosecution, to determine if it is appropriate to bring such matters before the court.
Onigbanjo said: “We accept the recommendation of the committee to put in a filter mechanism. With immediate effect, we shall commence deployment of district prosecutors in three pilot magisterial districts – Ebutte-Metta, lkorodu, and Ogba – to vet charges and review case files presented by the Investigating Police Officers (IPO) and ensure it meets evidential threshold required by law.”
According to him, the plan will reduce the workload in courts and prison population thus ensuring an effective administration of the criminal justice system in the state.
He said the focus of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration is to ensure that Lagos residents no longer face unnecessary charges and harassment while in police custody.
Onigbanjo said the state government has decided to reduce the involvement of police prosecutors at all levels to avoid delay in the administration of criminal justice in the state.
He added: “We will meet with the police to categorize the offences a prosecutor will handle, while we will ensure adequate monitoring of such cases.”
He insisted that the Ministry of Justice and police had always enjoyed good working relationships with the ministry providing the police with technical and infrastructural support as well as enhancing the capacity of their prosecutors and investigators.
“To demonstrate our commitment to collaboration and enhanced capacity of police prosecutors, Mr. Governor recently approved the renovation of the library in State CID Panti, with equipped legal resources to assist them with research and deepen their knowledge of the law.
“We will continue to collaborate with the police and engage the Commissioner of Police to deliberate and find lasting results to issues as they arise.
“The Commissioner of Police being a major stakeholder in the administration of justice also participates in the Criminal Justice Sector Reform Committee, chaired by the state Chief Judge,” the commissioner concluded.
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