Lagos CJ signs sentencing guidelines for Magistrate, High Courts

6 min read 1,024 words 5 views

As parts of efforts to make fair dispensation of justice
available to citizenry, Justice Opeyemi Oke, the Chief Judge of
Lagos State, on Wednesday signed in sentencing guidelines for the
Magistrates and High Courts in the state.

Justice Oke signed in the sentencing guidelines at the inaugural
meeting of the Criminal Justice Sector Reform Committee held in the
conference room of the Ikeja High Court.

Mr Adeniji Kazeem, the Lagos State Attorney-General, judges,
representatives of the Nigeria Police and members of the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA) were at the meeting.

Others that were part of the meeting include law enforcement
agencies, Nigerian Prisons Service as well as other stakeholders in
the criminal justice system of Lagos.

Justice Oke, the chairman of the meeting, while applauding
members of the Justice Sector Reform committee, said that the
sentencing guidelines would create uniformity in sentencing in the
courts.

She especially thanked members of the Sentencing Guidelines
Sub-committee comprised of the Chairman, Justice Kudirat Jose, two
Magistrates – Mrs Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi and Mrs Yewande
Aje-Afunwa — and staff of the Ministry of Justice — Dr Jide Martins
and Mrs Bola Akinsete — for their hard work and dedication.

“The committee had finalised the sentencing guidelines which
will be signed today as Practice Directions for use by all courts
in the state.

“I will like to appreciate the members of the Sentencing
Guidelines Committee for their hard work and attention to detail in
putting together the guidelines which will facilitate uniformity,
equity and objectivity in sentencing in Lagos State,” the Chief
Judge said.

Oke said that the application of the guidelines would bring
about similarities in sentences meted out by the courts for the
same crimes.

“What has been occurring regularly is that a court will be
giving a sentence that people find to be very harsh and difficult;
terming the court wicked and harsh, while another court, lenient in
sentencing an accused for the same type of offence, is termed sweet
and kind.

“We need uniformity; we really have to monitor this. The
sentencing guidelines will be applicable to the Magistrate Courts
and the High Courts,” she said.

Oke noted that a new committee to be chaired by Justice
Oluwatoyin Ipaye had been set up to also create Practice Directions
for the use of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos
State (ACJL) for the courts.

“This is for the purpose of making the law more explicit for
Judges, Magistrates and Prosecutors.

“The new committee is enjoined to evaluate initiatives such as
adopting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in
criminal trials, increase use of plea bargaining to drastically
reduce the number of inmates awaiting trial, frontloading of
evidence and restorative justice,” Oke said.

The Chief Judge called for the collaboration and cooperation of
stakeholders to take the Lagos State Judiciary to greater
heights.

“The vision of the Lagos State Judiciary under the current
administration includes to make speedy dispensation of justice a
hallmark of Lagos State Judiciary and to improve on the reputation
of Lagos State Judiciary as the best in Nigeria and Africa,” she
said.