Attorney-General seeks new prosecution policy

Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), has called for a new policy on prosecution to enhance speedy trial.

Malami made the call at the meeting of Attorney Generals of all states in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that new prosecutors from states should be nominated to aid the prosecution process.

He explained that with the new policy and the proposed prosecutors from states, there would be more ideas on how to speed up prosecution processes.

“I hope that this meeting will carefully consider these issues with a view to advising the Presidency appropriately, for efficient prosecution.

“The task before this body of attorneys in this one-day meeting is the presentation of draft on National Policy on Prosecution, Code of Conduct for Prosecutors,” he said.

According to him, the objective is to restore public confidence in the administration of justice in Nigeria.

“The objective of justice reform plan is to achieve our vision through four keys to strengthen legal drafting and law review process;

“Strengthen prosecution, adjudication, enforcement, asset recovery mandate and strengthening public engagement accountability systems.

“Above all, support international cooperation and national coordination across the justice institution, the judiciary and the legislatures,” he said.

Also speaking, Ms Christina Abati of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), commended the move by the attorneys general.

She stressed that it was pertinent to have a code of prosecution devoid of arbitrariness and bias in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

She said the European union-funded projects being implemented by UNODC have provided technical assistance to the federal justice sector reform coordinating committee.

“It is our hope that with this validation of the policy its ratification at the national level could be replicated at the level of the state,” she said.

Abati said that the project would first begin in states who are direct beneficiaries of the fund.