Experts in the criminal justice have engaged journalists at a workshop aimed at deepening their knowledge and educating them on their role in criminal justice and anti-corruption reform, ADEBISI ONANUGA reports
Over 30 journalists and editors on judiciary, crime and defence beats have benefitted from a sensitisation workshop on the role of journalists in criminal justice and anti-corruption reform.
The workshop organised by the Lagos State Government was coordinated by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), and funded by the European Union and the British Council in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos Council.
State Programme Coordinator, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, Mrs. Ajibola Ijimakinwa, while speaking at the media engagement, urged journalists to always go the extra mile to dig out more facts when reporting on corruption cases coming up in courts before going public on such reports.
She said the objective of RoLAC was to work towards enhancing good governance, strengthening the rule of law and curbing corruption in Nigeria.
Mrs. Ijimakinwa anchored the activities of RolAC on four major components including: “Implementation of the Nigerian Criminal Justice Reform; Access to justice for women, children and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs); Strengthening the fight against corruption; Citizens’ Engagement in criminal justice reforms and the fight against corruption.
The National Convener, Fight Against Corruption, Bayo Akinlade lamented that most newspapers don’t publish corruption cases in Nigeria because of law of libel and over-regulation by government agencies set up to monitor the media including Nigeria Press Council and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission.
Akinkade, who is a former chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu, engaged journalists extensively on corruption cases can be reported without flouting the law on libel. He enjoined journalists to go beyond press releases but to carry out investigations into news behind corruption cases raised in press statements.
He noted that the few journalists who publish corruption cases do so using pseudo names.
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“Corruption cases are high profile and people who are the offenders use their powers to ensure it doesn’t see the light of the day.
“We should do thorough investigation before we go out to publish in order to avoid libel:”, he advised.
Gender and Development Specialist, Ms. Chibogu Obinwa, lamented that corruption has become a culture in the country.
To check the trend, she urged journalists not to be afraid to ask questions and investigate corruption cases.
“Journalists must be daring. No question should be off limit. We should be daring to publish the truth. Any half-truth is a lie.
“If we are committed in playing our role, the fight against corruption would be reduced to barest minimum.”
A justice sector reform expert, Moses Omorogieva said corruption exist in every sector of the country including the judiciary, the police and government. He urged journalists to probe beyond press statements.
Earlier in a welcome address, Chairman Lagos NUJ, Adeleye Ajayi expressed the readiness of journalists to enhance the civil society and public engagement in the fight against corruption and the criminal justice reform process.
Adeleye noted that successive administration had over the years, made efforts to fight corruption and expressed commitment to reform the criminal justice system.
“Let us make it a point of duty to fight corruption, knowing full well that Nigeria has ratified and signed the UN convention against corruption”, he admonished jopurnalists.
He enjoined journalists to beam their search light on criminal justice institutions like the Police, Correctional Services, Judiciary, ICPC, EFCC amongst other institutions.
He further admonished journalists to look beyond press statements issued by the criminal justice institutions and investigate issues of corruption.
The break-out session discussed the potentials for journalists to publish more reports on innovations, issues and gaps pertaining to the criminal justice system in Nigeria, to write more stories that highlight corruption in criminal justice institutions like the Police, Correctional Services, judiciary, the Ministry of Justice and whether the aspects of services delivered by the criminal justice institutions are plagued by corruption and how journalists can use their skills to high light these cases.
The breakout session also require journalists to work out issues for policy dialogue on the role of journalists in criminal justice and anti-corruption reforms.