Area Courts in FCT have no jurisdiction over criminal matters- Judge

An FCT High Court, Apo, on Wednesday ruled that Area Courts in
the Federal Capital Territory, under the Sharia Court, have no
jurisdiction on criminal matters.

Justice Bolaji Belgore, gave the ruling in a suit filed by
Anugom Ifeanyi Chukwu, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, against
the Grand Khadi, Sharia Court of Appeal and two others.

Belgore declared that All Area Courts in the FCT are restrained
from hearing and trying criminal matters under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Belgore, however, declined to nullify judgments and orders made
by the Area Courts on criminal proceedings since 2010.

Chukwu had approach the court for interpretation of the
following.

“Whether by virtue of enactment of the FCT, Abuja Area Court Act
2010, the Area Courts in the FCT, have the jurisdiction to
entertain and try criminal cases under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015?

“If the laws of the Federation 1990 gave the Area Courts in the
FCT power to hear and try criminal cases under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015?

The legal practitioner further requested that all final
judgments and orders made by the Area Courts on criminal
proceedings since 2010 be declared null and void.

Mr I.G. Haruna, counsel to the defendants, had argued that the
plaintiff has no right to demand for the enforcement of statutory
act, but the court ruled otherwise, that the plaintiff’ has
constitutional right to do so.

NAN

An FCT High Court, Apo, on Wednesday ruled that Area Courts in
the Federal Capital Territory, under the Sharia Court, have no
jurisdiction on criminal matters.

Justice Bolaji Belgore, gave the ruling in a suit filed by
Anugom Ifeanyi Chukwu, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, against
the Grand Khadi, Sharia Court of Appeal and two others.

Belgore declared that All Area Courts in the FCT are restrained
from hearing and trying criminal matters under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Belgore, however, declined to nullify judgments and orders made
by the Area Courts on criminal proceedings since 2010.

Chukwu had approach the court for interpretation of the
following.

“Whether by virtue of enactment of the FCT, Abuja Area Court Act
2010, the Area Courts in the FCT, have the jurisdiction to
entertain and try criminal cases under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015?

“If the laws of the Federation 1990 gave the Area Courts in the
FCT power to hear and try criminal cases under the Penal Code and
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015?

The legal practitioner further requested that all final
judgments and orders made by the Area Courts on criminal
proceedings since 2010 be declared null and void.

Mr I.G. Haruna, counsel to the defendants, had argued that the
plaintiff has no right to demand for the enforcement of statutory
act, but the court ruled otherwise, that the plaintiff’ has
constitutional right to do so.

NAN