National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Olatunde Oluwasola
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has urged the new Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Faegbemi, to unbundle the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and restrict it to investigations.
Agbakoba, who gave the advice on Monday in a statement reiterating the need for major reforms in the criminal justice system, also recommended that prosecution be handled by a newly established National Prosecution Agency
While expressing his confidence in the abilities of the new AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Agbakoba also noted other key reforms to include a complete decentralised Police Force at local state and Federal levels, a major revamp of outdated laws and the necessity for a speed of justice reform.
He said, “Major reforms of the criminal justice system with particular reference to the utter confusion in the duplicated work of our law enforcement agencies in particular, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), is urgently needed.
“Also there is a need to unbundle EFCC and restrict them to investigation only while a new National Prosecution Agency ought to be established.
“Another key reform would be a complete decentralised Police Force at local state and federal levels.
“Major revamp of our outdated laws is urgently needed to follow the Rwanda example that modified 1000 laws.
“Last but not least, the AGF must work on Speed of Justice. It’s a crying shame it takes upwards of 15 years to conclude cases from the High court to the Supreme Court.
“Finally, but not exhausted is to create sector specific dispute resolution Agencies to free up the utterly cluttered dockets of the regular courts.
“Finally, but not exhausted is to create sector specific dispute resolution Agencies to free up the utterly cluttered dockets of the regular courts.”
