By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA — Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of Litigations at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Magistrate Muinat Folashade Oyekan, has cautioned against the growing tendency to blame the judiciary for acquittals in criminal cases, stressing that court decisions are based strictly on evidence—not emotions or public sentiment.

Oyekan made this assertion in Umuahia, Abia State, while fielding questions from journalists after a one-day sensitisation workshop for Magistrates and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs). The workshop focused on the effective implementation of sections 33 and 34 of the Abia State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), 2017.

“Cases are won or lost based on the evidence presented before the court, not based on how emotional or popular the case may be,” she said. “The court has no option but to discharge a defendant when there is insufficient evidence to convict.”

She urged law enforcement agencies to conduct thorough investigations and ensure proper charges are filed in accordance with legal standards. “It’s imperative that law enforcement puts forward strong, admissible evidence. Emotions can’t win a case—evidence does,” she emphasized.

On the issue of improper arraignment, often attributed to police procedural lapses, Oyekan attributed it to ignorance and called for continued sensitisation efforts. “Some of these mistakes stem from lack of awareness, which is why this kind of workshop is so important,” she noted, adding that judicial officers can give necessary directives to correct such errors.

Delivering a presentation on the theme, “Ensuring Compliance with Reporting Obligation, Basis and Principles Applicable to Magistral Visit to Places of Detention Under Sections 33 and 34 of the ACJL, Abia State, 2017,” Oyekan emphasized the need for synergy between the judiciary and law enforcement to ensure effective criminal justice administration.

She identified the lack of cooperation between the police and judiciary as a major impediment to the successful implementation of the ACJL across Nigeria. “Courts are not out to witch-hunt the police. We’re simply enforcing due process and upholding the law,” she clarified.

The workshop, organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme—funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)—brought together Magistrates and DPOs from all 17 local government areas of Abia State.

Highlighting the significance of Sections 33 and 34 of the ACJL, the RoLAC State Project Coordinator, Mr. Peter Omenka, explained that police officers are required to submit monthly reports on detainees in their custody to the Chief Magistrate in their jurisdiction. These sections also mandate magistrates to conduct regular inspections of detention facilities.

“Our objective is to strengthen magistrates’ capacity to conduct oversight visits, and to ensure that police officers understand their statutory duties under the ACJL,” Omenka said. “Magistrates are expected to review the conditions of detainees and determine whether their detention is justified, and where necessary, make appropriate judicial orders.”

Speaking to Vanguard, one of the participants, His Worship Nkwachi Onwutuegbe Matthew, Deputy Chief Registrar of the Abia State High Court and Executive Secretary of the ACJL Monitoring Committee, described the workshop as “a wonderful innovation.”

“We have long desired this synergy, and it’s encouraging to see that the police are now more open to collaborating. Many weren’t even aware of the reporting and visitation requirements enshrined in the law,” he said.

According to Onwutuegbe, the level of cooperation demonstrated during the workshop is a positive signal that implementation challenges associated with Sections 33 and 34 of the ACJL may soon be a thing of the past.

The sensitisation workshop was widely praised for bridging the gap between judicial and law enforcement institutions in the state and is expected to improve the overall effectiveness of criminal justice delivery in Abia.