Kano Assembly to amend State’s Criminal Justice Law

The Kano State House says it is ready to amend the state
administration of criminal justice law to prevent suspects from
being prosecuted and sentenced from alleged confessional
statements.

Consequently, the Assembly’s Committee on Judiciary said it had
scheduled public hearing for Jan. 16, on the proposed amendment of
Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2017.

The Chairman of the Committee and member representing Tudun Wada
constituency, Alhaji Abdullahi Yaryasa, made the disclosure in an
interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in
Kano.

Yaryasa said that the public hearing would avail stakeholders
the opportunity to air their views on the law which has direct
impact on the general public.

“The Administration of Criminal Justice Act which was ordered to
be domesticated by all states of the federation, which if adopted,
may not accommodate our religious and cultural background.

“Hence, the state government has adopted an approach of amending
the existing Criminal procedure, consolidating it with the relevant
provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice.

“The amendment of the law is aimed at having the best
legislation on criminal justice in the country”, the committee
Chairman said.

According to Yaryasa, the decision to amend the existing law is
to accommodate both the conventional and Shariah laws.

Yaryasa explained that one area of the law to be considered “is
that confessional statement will no longer be acceptable evidence
unless it is made in the presence of the legal counsel of the
accused or recorded in a video while it is being obtained.

“Another area to be looked at is plea bargain and abridged time
upon which criminal investigations and trial are to be
concluded.’’

The committee chairman further stated that options to
imprisonment had also been provided in the Bill to include
community service, suspended sentence and parole.(NAN)