FCT CJ designates Kuje court to handle criminal trials

The Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Ishaq Bello, has designated the High Court in Kuje as the head of courts to handle criminal trials in the division. Justice Bello, who made this known during a visit to the court, said the rationale behind the move is the location […]

The Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Ishaq Bello, has designated the High Court in Kuje as the head of courts to handle criminal trials in the division.

Justice Bello, who made this known during a visit to the court, said the rationale behind the move is the location of the court being the most proximate to the Kuje Medium Prisons where 570 inmates are still on awaiting trial list.

He said the move will minimize the problem of transporting suspects to courts which was identified as the most serious of the logistical problems confronting the prisons as regards bringing suspects to courts.

He added that the FCT judiciary will be introducing the system of a court being handled by more than one judge at a time for effective time management.

“Introducing this will expedite speedy determination of cases and delivery of justice. We (judges) must therefore get inside the box and ensure the court is put to maximum use,” he said.

Justice Bello added the dream is to have two or more chambers in the Kuje Court to ensure there is more than one judge using the court which will in turn help in the decongestion of the prisons and courts.

Commenting, the Head of Rule of Law in the Office of the Vice President, Gbolahan Adeniran, said the move will give life to the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).