Cleen foundation trains stakeholders on compliance, implementation of ACJA

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Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Cleen Foundation has on Tuesday organized a training workshop for stakeholders in the justice system in Bauchi state on compliance and implementation of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

In an opening remark, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr. Gad Peter said, Cleen Foundation is more concerned with compliance and
Implementation of the provisions contained in ACJA for its smooth dispensation.

“Today’s gathering is important to us as we are following up on our earlier effort of legislation on the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria”, he said.

He said that the main objectives of the ACJA as found in section 1 of the Act are to promote efficient management of criminal justice institutions, provide speedy dispensation of justice, and protect the society from crime, while defending the rights and the interest of the defendant and the
Victim.

He said that the move indicates a deliberate shift from punishment as the main goal of criminal justice to restorative justice, which pays attention to the needs of the society, the victims, vulnerable persons and human dignity.

Mr Gad Peter who stated that Cleen Foundation is an NGO that accord attention to issues of security and Criminal Justice administration in Nigeria, expressed delight that since the Act came to effect few years back, there has been great improvement on the administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria.

He said that the training was also aimed at drawing the attention of the participants to the administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria to ensure that every stakeholder become conversant with the law and respect it.

“As you are aware, most people see the judiciary as the last hope of the masses and of the people and we feel that the judiciary must be above board at all times in terms of conduct and approach to issues and in terms pronouncements and justice that they serve to the people”, he said.

According to him, “when you talk about justice, it is not only from judiciary that you get justice, you can get justice from the police stations and from other agencies that are saddled with the responsibility of arresting and prosecuting people”.

He said that the training will help security agencies responsible for the arrest and prosecution of suspects to ensure that they do things at the right time to avoid subjecting innocent people from harassment or detention unnecessarily due to lack of proper understanding of the ACJA .

Mr Gad Peter who said that the participants at the workshop were drawn from the media who are expected to make the law popular by educating and sensitizing the people, said others are, the police, Nigeria Correctional service personnel, ICPC, EFCC and officials of the state ministry of justice, among others.