Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has painted a picture of how lawyers manipulate judges to either delay cases in courts or twist the cases.
“The lawyers take advantage of the fact that they are senior members of the bar and the judges are not firm on them, so they come out with all manner of excuses to get adjournment to prolong the matter.
“So if the lawyers are alive to their responsibilities as ministers in the temple of justice, then they cannot do that because the law is very clear even if it would be adverse to your client’s interest.”
Obono-Obla, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, accused counsels to defendants of being in the habit of using frivolous motions to delay trials because the judges are not firm.
“If you look at the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, there is supposed to be collaborations between the Courts, the Law Enforcement Agencies and persons and authorities.
“If you look at Section 1 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015, it is to ensure that there is compliance of that law.
“And what is the essence of that law? The essence of that law is to protect society from crime, to protect the rights and interests of defendants, suspects and society.
Obono-Obla said that the President is depending on the National Prosecution Coordinating Committee (NPCC) to improve the standard of prosecuting public officers that have looted the country’s treasury.
This is even as he said that the anti-graft war should be seen as a collective fight, and that the President needed the support of the judiciary, legislature and the public to succeed. [myad]
