Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the world class DNA and Forensic Centre unveiled recently in the state will eliminate the question of proving criminal cases beyond reasonable doubt.
He said with this development, it would no longer be possible for criminals to escape justice due to lack of evidence.
GovernorAmbode said this at the conference of Network of Justice Reform Team put together by the Federal Justice Sector Reform Co-ordinating Committee (FJSRCC) in partnership with the Lagos State government, British Council and European Union through the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC).
He said aside other beneficial functions, the centre, which is the first of its kind in West Africa, was designed to make Nigeria join the league of advanced countries, using a more scientific-led investigation technique, thus raising the bar of establishing unquestionable evidence in prosecuting criminal cases.
“It is in fulfillment of these promises that the first DNA and Forensic Centre was commissioned to embrace a more scientific-led investigation technique and raising the bar of “proof beyond reasonable doubt” in prosecuting criminal cases,”he said.
The governor, who was represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, reinstated the commitment of his administration to social development, improvement of justice dispensation and maintenance of law and order in ensuring that Lagos works for all.
He said this has become necessary in view of over 21million population and owing to the cosmopolitan nature and diversity of Lagos.
He said:“Our success as a government lies more in our continuous collaboration with stakeholders in the administration of justice to achieve our goals and realities of an efficient justice delivery system.
“Our administration, to a large extent, has addressed the issues of delayed justice through the establishment of Office of Public Defender (OPD), Citizens Mediation Centre and the innovative multi-door arbitration system of justice where numerous persons regardless of gender, status, ethnic or religious grouping are beneficiaries. We have continued to enhance the judicial process in the state in terms of improved welfare for judiciary and put in place state-of-the-art-infrastructures.”
While charging participants which included judges, states‘Attorneys General of the Federation, lawmakers, among others to come up with significant reforms that would benefit the citizenry nationwide, Governor Ambode said the state government was willing to collaborate with stakeholders in the justice sector to explore the opportunities of the Lagos DNA and Forensic Centre to make Nigeria a safe place to reside and do business.
Also speaking, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata said the Federal Government was in the process of amending the Police Act, which had been in existence since 1948 to reflect current realities.
He said aside the Police Act, the government was also in the process of implementing reforms designed to decongest prisons in the country.
To underscore the commitment of the present administration to reform the justice sector, Apata disclosed that a National Policy on Justice, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, was recently adopted in collaboration with key stakeholders, adding that by the development, the country can now boast of a policy that declares the collective aspiration for the justice system.
He said the policy also provides blueprint which outlines the various reforms desirable in the justice sector to engender smooth, fair, just and transparent administration of justice system.
According to him, “aside the judicial reforms, presently, the Federal Ministry of Justice is also engaging in police reform. “As at today, we are trying to work on the Police Act, which we have been using since 1948 or thereabout.
“Presently, also, the Ministry is working on the prison reform. The Attorney-General of the Federation has just constituted a working group that is looking at the prison reform in Nigeria headed by the Chief Judge of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who is equally passionate about the issue of prison decongestion.
“At the moment, the Federal Ministry of Justice is pioneering the trial of Boko Haram suspects, who have been there for the last four to five years and we have already commenced their profiling,” Apata said.
