Maureen Okpe
The Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, (PRAWA), and some relevant stakeholders has advocated the need for effective case management system in the justice administration, to decongest custodial centers in Nigeria.
Executive Director PRAWA, Dr. Uju Agomoh made the call on Monday at a media briefing and strategy session on setting agenda for Administration of Justice and Corrections Reform in Nigeria.
Dr. Agomoh, stressed the need to use provisions of the law such as quick justice for pre-trial inmates, virtual court to decongest the facilities.
Presenting the communiqué issued at the end of a ‘Two-Day High-Level Conference on Decongestion and Corrections Administration In Nigeria,’ held in May, the Executive Director said, the laws need to be amended to reduce the kind of offenses that necessitate pre-trial detention, urging the government to take steps towards ensuring adequate financial provision for the correctional service to carry out its non-custodial supervision mandate.
The communiqué reads in part: “we strongly recommend having a clear categorization of crimes.Urge strict adherence to sentencing guidelines.Urge all judges and magistrates to effectively utilize community service sanctions.
“We are deeply concerned that the giving of fine as an option against imprisonment has not been very effective as some offenders of petty crimes are unable to pay the fines therefore recommend the utilization of other non-custodial sanctions. But we strongly encourage the implementation of sections 37 and 38 of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act on setting up the National committee on non-custodial measures.
“We urge the government to provide adequate logistics to enable transportation of inmates to courts. We also urge the government to ensure training and retraining of the police and other law enforcement agents with the mandate to arrest and detain, courts and correctional service personnel.
“We are also calling on the government to take steps to ensure funding and budget allocation to stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice especially the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. We strongly recommend the development of and implementation of diversionary programmes as provided for in the ACJA/ACJL, Child Rights Act and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.
“We strongly recommend the provision of rehabilitation and reintegration support for inmates; to include opening of bank accounts and provision of ATM cards, linkage with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and SMEDAN. PRAWA is recommended to keep links with the beneficiaries for follow up support and monitoring. Also, we strongly encourage the adoption of a community-based approach to aid the reintegration of ex-inmates back into society.”
“Strongly encourage the implementation of sections 37 and 38 of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act on setting up the National committee on non-custodial measures;Propose that counselling sessions be made part of the sentencing.
“Encourage proper monitoring, harmonization of the functions of NCoS with that given to the court bailiffs in the ACJA; Strongly urge the implementation of diversion measures for children in conflict with the law such that they do not go through the criminal justice system.”