– Appraisal of Judicial Reforms Towards An Efficient Administration of Justice In Nigeria –
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ABSTRACT
Certain reforms had been put in place to address Nigeria’s quest towards an efficient administration of justice in the country.
The reason for this quest is because there is the problem of undue delay in determining cases as a result of the legal processes being usually very slow and complex.
Two major reforms carried out with the aim of addressing this problem had been the passing into law of the Administration of criminal justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and the Evidence Act 2011.
In many instances, these laws had shown innovations that make for speedy disposal of cases at least when compared to their previous kindred legislations.
The Administration of criminal justice Act (ACJA) 2015 for instance, merged the provisions of the two principal legislations governing criminal procedure in Nigeria;
the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) into one principal federal Act which is intended to apply uniformly in all federal courts across the entire Federation and in respect of federal offences.
The Act preserves the existing criminal procedures, but also introduces new innovative provisions.
As one practical example amongst several discussed in this work, the Act clearly provides that trial of a defendant is to proceed from day-to day until the conclusion of the trial.
This is clearly a new and innovative attempt to ensure speedy criminal trials. While the Act yet builds upon the existing framework of criminal justice administration in the country, it however, filled the gaps observed in these laws over the course of several decades.
The Evidence Act 2011, on the other hand, repealed the old Evidence Act, Cap E14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which was basically the same with the Evidence Act 1943 which came into force on 1st June, 1945.
The justice administrative system in the country got a big boost with the coming into operation of this Act which amongst other innovations as discussed in the research, makes the coast clear for the admission of digital and electronic evidence.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page …………………………………………………………………………………………….i
Declaration ………………………………………………………………………………………….ii
Certification …………………………………………………………………………………………iii
Dedication ……..……………………………………………………………………………………iv
Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………………………………….. v
Table of content …………………………………………………………..…………………… vi-x
Table of statutes…………………………………………………………………………………….xi
Table of cases …………………………………………………………………………………….xii-xiv
List of abbreviations………………………………………………………………………………xv
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………… xvi
Chapter One
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study ……………………………………………………………………………….1
1.2 Statement of Problem …………………………………………………………………………………..3
1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study …………………………………………………………………..4
1.4 Justification for the Study …………………………………………………………………………….4
1.5 Scope and the Research …………………………………………………………………………………5
1.6 Research Methodology ………………………………………………………………………………….6
1.7 Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………………………6
1.8 Organisational Layout …………………………………………………………………………………12
Chapter Two
DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS
2.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………….14
2.2 Judicial Reforms …………………………………………………………………………………………14
2.3 Efficiency …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 15
2.4 Justice ………………………………………………………………………………………………………16
2.5 Justice Administration ………………………………………………………………………………..17
Chapter Three
AN APPRAISAL OF THE NEW INNOVATIONS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN NIGERIA
3.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………….19
3.2 New Innovations in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 ……………….19
3.2.1 Prohibition of Unlawful Arrests ……………………………………………………………………21
3.2.2 Mandatory Notification of Cause of Arrest and rights of the Arrested Person …….22
3.2.3 Provision for Humane Treatment of an Arrested Person ………………………………….23
3.2.4 Electronic Recording of Confessional Statement …………………………………………….23
3.2.5 Recording of statement of suspect ………………………………………………………………..24
3.2.6 Prohibition of Arrest in Lieu ………………………………………………………………………..25
3.2.7 Prohibition of Arrest in Civil Cases ………………………………………………………………25
3.2.8 Mandatory Inventory of Property of Arrested Person ……………………………………..26
3.2.9 Mandatory Record of Personal Data of an Arrested Person ……………………………27
3.2.10 Establishment of a Police Central Criminal Registry ………………………………………28
3.2.11 Establishment of Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee ….29
3.2.12 Quarterly Report of arrests to the Attorney-General of the Federation …………….30
3.2.13 Monthly report by Police to supervising magistrate ……………………………………….31
3.2.14 Returns by Comptroller-General of Prisons …………………………………………………..32
3.2.15 Provisions on Bail ……………………………………………………………………………………..32
3.2.16 Provision as to Persons Authorised to Undertake Criminal Proceedings …………..35
3.2.17 Plea Bargain ……………………………………………………………………………………………..36
3.2.18 Provision for Professional Bondsmen ……………………………………………………………40
3.2.19 Electronic Record of proceedings ………………………………………………………………..40
3.2.20 Service of court processes by courier companies ……………………………………………41
3.2.21 Provision Relating to Trial of Corporation ……………………………………………………42
3.2.22 Provision as It Relates To Women Sureties……………………………………………………43
3.2.23 Provision for Compensation to victims of crime ……………………………………………43
3.2.24 Provision Relating to Sentencing …………………………………………………………………44
3.2.25 Some Speedy Trials Enhancing Provision …………………………………………………….46
3.3 New Innovations in the Evidence Act 2011 …………………………………………………… 49
3.3.1 Hearsay Evidence and Exceptions ……………………………………………………………….. 50
3.3.2 Admissibility of Illegally or Improperly Obtained Evidence …………………………… 58
3.3.3 Character Evidence ……………………………………………………………………………………. 60
3.3.4 Judicial Notice of Custom Based On a Single Previous Decision of a Superior Court of Record………63
3.3.5 Oral Evidence of Tradition ………………………………………………………………………….65
3.3.6 Admissibility of Electronic or Computer-Generated Evidence ………………………..66
3.3.7 Expansion of the Definition of the words „Document‟ and „Computer‟ …………….71
3.3.8 Presumption Regarding Electronic Mails (e-mail) ………………………………………….74
3.3.9 Electronic Signature ……………………………………………………………………………………74
3.3.10 Documents Admissible In Other Countries ……………………………………………………75
3.3.11 Inadmissibility of Statements Contained In Documents Marked “Without Prejudice” ……..76
3.3.12 Recognition of Marriages Celebrated Under Customary and Islamic Laws for the Purposes of Enjoying Testimonial Privileges …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….77
3.3.13 Presumption of Marriage from Co-Habitation ………………………………………………..79
3.3.14 Evidence As To Affairs of State and Official Communications ……………………….. 79
3.3.15 Power Of the Minister of Justice to Make Regulations …………………………………… 80
3.3.16 Admission by Conduct ……………………………………………………………………………….. 80
3.3.17 Confessional Statements …………………………………………………………………………….. 81
3.3.18 Special Restrictions In Respect Of Permissible Evidence in Trial for Sexual Offences…..83
3.3.19 Exclusion of Evidence under the Evidence Act or Under Other Legislation……….84
Chapter Four
JUDICIAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA; PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
4.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 86
4.2 Prospect of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) in Justice Administration in Nigeria …………………86
4.2.1 Text Creation, Storage and Retrieval …………………………………………….. 88
4.2.2 Case Management ………………………………………………………………… 91
4.2.3 Recording of Court Proceedings …………………………………………………. 92
4.2.4 Pitfalls in Acquisition and Deployment of I.C.T for efficient justice delivery in Nigeria …………………………………… 94
4.3 The Challenge of Legal Pluralism in Nigeria …………………………………….. 97
4.3.1 The Problems of Legal Pluralism ……………………………………………….. 101
4.3.2 The Solution to the Problem of Legal Pluralism ………………………………… 104
Chapter Five
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Summary …………………………………………………………………………108
5.2 Findings ………………………………………………………………………….109
5.3 Recommendations ………………………………………………………… 112
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………….. 117
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Nigeria, like many other countries of the world usually undertake legal and judicial reforms as efforts geared towards their overall development programs.
The reason for this is also quite obvious. Nigeria finds herself in a situation where her judiciary advance inconsistent case law and carry a large backlog of cases.
The resulting implication is the eroding of individual and property rights and by implication, the stifling of the private sector and its growth. There is ultimately also, violation of human rights.
Delay in justice delivery affects fairness and the efficiency of the judicial system. This is also acting as an impediment to the public’s access to courts, which, in effect, weakens democracy, the rule of law and the ability to enforce human rights or even economic interest.
One of the ways of evaluating an effective justice delivery system is by the number of cases that it manages to dispose off and the time taken and even the process involved.
The Nigerian judiciary reputed to be the last hope of the common man, crumbles under the weight of a heavy caseload. The criminal justice system in the country endures prolonged delay in the administration of justice.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agbede, I.O. (1991) Legal Pluralism Shaneson Publishers
Agu, P.N. (1975) “The Dualism of English and Customary Laws in Nigeria”, in Elias,
T.O., Nwabara, S.N., and Akpamgbo, C.O., (eds.) African Indigenous Laws: Proceedings of workshop (7 to 9 August, 1974, Institute of African Studies, University of Nsuka) Enugu: Government Printer.
Aguda, T.A. (1988) the Challenge for Nigerian Law and the Nigerian Lawyer in the Twenty-First Century, Federal Government Printers. Blacks Law Dictionary, 9th edition
Elias, T.O. (1972) Law and Social Change in Nigeria University of Lagos and Evans Brothers Ltd.
Obilade, A.O. (1979) The Nigerian Legal System, Sweet and Maxwell Oxford Advanced Learner‟s Dictionary 6th edition Spencer, T. (1962) A History of Islam in West Africa. Oxford University Press, London.
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