Why Correctional Service Reform Is Vital To Justice Administration – Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, has said that reforms are needed to effectively implement the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.

He disclosed this on Monday in a keynote address at the virtual interactive session of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion with relevant justice sector stakeholders to review the draft “Federal Capital Territory Courts Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Directions, 2020”.

He said the practice directions “is geared towards implementing one of the major recommendations of the National Workshop on the Effective Implementation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, held between the 25th -27th November, 2019.”

The draft document, among other things, looks at the options for sentencing a convict after trial.

Malami stated that if approved, it would serve as a “veritable tool for assisting the court in the sentencing process.”

According to him, the draft copy, which was reviewed by relevant stakeholders in March 16-18, 2020, was recommended as a step forward in streamlining sentencing guidelines.

“Stakeholders after a review of the document recommended that the Draft be consolidated with the existing ‘Federal Capital Territory Courts (Sentencing Guidelines) Practice Direction, 2016, to avoid multiplicity of Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Directions on the same subject.

“This Interactive session has therefore brought together relevant stakeholders especially the FCT judiciary to review, ratify, validate and adopt the consolidated draft document which will hopefully be signed in no distant time by my Lord, the Chief judge of the FCT High Court,” Malami added.

Furthermore, the AGF explained that the draft under review would settle and unify the differences in sentences by judges.

“If judges must not exceed the term prescribed in the statute creating an offence or exceed the quatum prescribed in punishing the offender, there must be a sentencing guidelines.

“For us to avoid disparity in sentencing from one judicial officer to other , then there must be a uniform appropriate.

“For us to deploy non-custodial measures appropriately, then there must be Sentencing Guidelines,” he said.

Non-custodial sentence or alternative sentencing is a term in criminal justice for the various options a judge can punish a convict aside capital punishment.

On his part, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, lauded Malami, the Presidential Committee chaired by Justice Ishawq Usman Bello, and all relevant stakeholders for brainstorming on the new ways to fine-tune one of the instruments of the justice sector.

“We also sincerely appreciate out partners the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion and FCT judiciary whose collaboration has made it possible to successfully organize this interactive session,” he added.