How FCTA rehab centre will assist ACJA implementation
The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, has said the decision of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to construct a borstal institute will assist the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and reduce crime in the city. He said a borstal institution or remand centre is “a […]
The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, has said the decision of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to construct a borstal institute will assist the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and reduce crime in the city.
He said a borstal institution or remand centre is “a place in which offenders who were not less than 16 but under 21 years of age on the day of conviction may be detained and undergo such training and instruction as will contribute to their reformation and the prevention of crime.”
Speaking during the visit of the Stakeholders Committee on Reforms and Decongestion of Prisons, the Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello, had announced the donation of a 36.9 acre of land for the building of a new prison in the capital city.
Bello, who was represented by the FCT’s permanent secretary, Christian Chinyaka Oha, said the gesture was part of efforts to decongest the prisons in the city.
Reacting, Justice Bello said the FCT minister had also agreed to establish a family court as well as a children and young persons’ court.
He said the courts would be constructed on the same land as the planned world class rehabilitation centre (borstal institute), which will ensure that the rate of crime in the city is brought to a minimal level.
“All the young ones sleeping under the bridge and afflicted by addiction and thus exposed to committing crime will be rehabilitated there.
“Also, a peace and reconciliation unit will be created at the Family Court and we hope to commission all these structures before the end of 2018,” he said.
Explaining further on how these will contribute to the implementation of ACJA, the CJ said, “If we clear all these boys under the bridge who are used as the arrow-heads for commission of crime and you get them rehabilitated, you are reducing the factors of commission of crime.”
He said the borstal institute is similar to the farm introduced by the prisons service in that both of them are correctional facilities. He added that once the facilities are put in proper place and improved upon, much more would be achieved in the justice system.
He said all the introductions are geared towards ensuring the effective implementation of the ACJA, an act that major stakeholders in the justice system said introduces innovative provisions that could enhance the efficiency of the justice system.
Also commenting, immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, said the development is a commendable one and it is hoped it happens as planned this year.
“Although the endowment of every state in Nigeria varies, but hopefully when the FCT starts, other states will follow even as they domesticate and adopt the ACJA,” he added.