Senate Passes Bill To Allow FCT Customary Court Undertake Criminal Trials

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to expand the jurisdiction
of the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court to undertake the
trial of criminal matters.

The bill titled: Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act,
2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was sponsored by Senator Michael
Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).

The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report
by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.

Chairman of the Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his
presentation, said the primary objective of the bill was to amend
the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007.

According to the lawmaker, the bill when signed into law by the
President seeks to, among other things, “expand the jurisdiction of
the court to include the trial of criminal matters in order to Seck
of the dockets of magistrate courts in the Federal Capital
Territory.”

“On the whole, the amendment is intended to promote timely
dispensation of justice”, the lawmaker added.

Bamidele recalled that stakeholders at the public hearing on the
bill, supported its passage stating that its introduction is a
welcome development that would reduce the quorum of the FCT
Customary Court for speedy trials.

He emphasized that the stakeholders were of the view that, “the
criminal jurisdiction being sought through this bill, is
appropriate and acceptable as all Judges of the Court are legal
practitioners who are competent to sit over criminal matters and as
well knowledgeable in customary law.”

The lawmaker observed that they further contended that the
court, as presently constituted, has the capacity in terms of
infrastructure and manpower to accommodate the proposed expansion
of criminal jurisdiction if the statutory constraint is removed by
ensuring that one Judge, instead of three seats on a case.

“This will position the court for efficiency in fulfilling the
requirement of determination of matters within a reasonable period,
as provided in section 36(1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, as
amended,” he said.

Bamidele posited that the passage of the bill would translate to
increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile for the
Government in view of the cosmopolitan nature of the Federal
Capital Territory, which inevitably, would increase demand for
efficient and effective justice delivery.

He stressed that the amendment of the Customary Court Act would
have the consequential effect of a deemed amendment to Section 494
of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and Section 4
of the FCT High Court Act, Cap. 510.

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to expand the jurisdiction
of the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court to undertake the
trial of criminal matters.

The bill titled: Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act,
2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was sponsored by Senator Michael
Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).

The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report
by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.

Chairman of the Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his
presentation, said the primary objective of the bill was to amend
the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007.

According to the lawmaker, the bill when signed into law by the
President seeks to, among other things, “expand the jurisdiction of
the court to include the trial of criminal matters in order to Seck
of the dockets of magistrate courts in the Federal Capital
Territory.”

“On the whole, the amendment is intended to promote timely
dispensation of justice”, the lawmaker added.

Bamidele recalled that stakeholders at the public hearing on the
bill, supported its passage stating that its introduction is a
welcome development that would reduce the quorum of the FCT
Customary Court for speedy trials.

He emphasized that the stakeholders were of the view that, “the
criminal jurisdiction being sought through this bill, is
appropriate and acceptable as all Judges of the Court are legal
practitioners who are competent to sit over criminal matters and as
well knowledgeable in customary law.”

The lawmaker observed that they further contended that the
court, as presently constituted, has the capacity in terms of
infrastructure and manpower to accommodate the proposed expansion
of criminal jurisdiction if the statutory constraint is removed by
ensuring that one Judge, instead of three seats on a case.

“This will position the court for efficiency in fulfilling the
requirement of determination of matters within a reasonable period,
as provided in section 36(1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, as
amended,” he said.

Bamidele posited that the passage of the bill would translate to
increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile for the
Government in view of the cosmopolitan nature of the Federal
Capital Territory, which inevitably, would increase demand for
efficient and effective justice delivery.

He stressed that the amendment of the Customary Court Act would
have the consequential effect of a deemed amendment to Section 494
of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and Section 4
of the FCT High Court Act, Cap. 510.