Foundation launches platform for digitization of corruption, criminal justice in Nigeria
The Cleen Foundation has formally launched the first online hub for the digitization of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) system in Nigeria to monitor court cases, promote accountability and transparency in the anti-corruption efforts. The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Benson Olugbuo, at the one-day Capacity Building and Sensitisation workshop for Stakeholders […]
Caption: Participants at the launch of the UWAZI platform for the digitization of corruption cases in Nigeria organised by the Cleen foundation on Tuesday in Abuja.
Photo: Abbas Jimoh
The Cleen Foundation has formally launched the first online hub for the digitization of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) system in Nigeria to monitor court cases, promote accountability and transparency in the anti-corruption efforts.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Benson Olugbuo, at the one-day Capacity Building and Sensitisation workshop for Stakeholders on Digitalizing Corruption Cases, yesterday in Abuja said that the facility was the first of its kind in Nigeria.
According to him, the web based open source application named ‘UWAZI’ was inaugurated under the project Promoting Accountability and Transparency in the Administration of Criminal Justice System in Nigeria.
He said that the project seeks to principally monitor cases of corruption in relation to the ACJA 2015 and is aimed at digitizing court proceedings and judgments in Nigeria with the view to promoting accountability and transparency in the fight against corruption.
“Digitized court case proceedings and electronics online files have been the standard in most country’s federal courts for more than a decade and in other sectors. So technology must be employed to enhance the justice system in Nigeria. For instance, electronic legal documentation has been firmly established and stabilized in Austria since 1999 and in the United States,” Olugbuo said.
He however said that the concept of digitization of court cases was not new in Nigeria and in some countries, as it is being popularly practiced.
He said that the web based platform boasted of functionalities like search, filter, tracking of changes on documents, cross reference and ability to view or download court rulings within the reach of the public.
He said the foundation collaborated with, a Geneva based human rights organisation, HURIDOCS, to deliver the project with the support of the MacArthur Foundation.
He therefore urged Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to work together to bring measurable success to the administration of justice in the Nigeria criminal justice system.
On her part, the Program Manager of the foundation, Mrs. Ruth Olofin, said the goal of the project is hinged on reducing corruption, promoting judicial transparency in processing anti-corruption cases and enhancing accountability in the criminal justice system in Nigeria.
“The objective of the act may never be attained unless and until all relevant stakeholders in the justice system aligns to work collaboratively in ensuring that the act is fully complied with by all judicial actors,” she said.