Abrogate trial within trial to expedite justice – Kwara DPP

Kwara Director of Public Prosecution, Idowu Akande, has called for the amendment of the Provision of the Evidence Act by abrogating trial within trial to ensure quick dispensation of justice.

Akande made the call in Ilorin on Friday at the sidelines of a two-day Performance Appraisal Workshop on the Legal Framework on Parole and the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria.

He said the federal and state governments needed to unanimously amend the act, which made it mandatory for the court to first determine if a statement was made voluntarily or not.

“We need to replace the section that says confessional statements shall not be admissible unless it’s voluntary, with, ‘Confessional statements may be admitted by the judge pending the time of the confirmation of its voluntariness’.

“If the judge confirms that it was not voluntarily made, the judge will expunge it.

“’With this, we will not have to hold a trial within trial which takes too much time,” he said.

According to Akande, the fastest trial within a trial takes at least six months, which is a great impediment to a quick dispensation of justice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the workshop, which started on Thursday, had representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Federation of Women Lawyers and the National Human Rights Commission.

The Nigeria Police Force, Legal Aid Council, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and the Nigeria Customs Service also had their representatives in attendance.

NAN also reports that the workshop was organised by Cleen Foundation with the support of MacArthur Foundation.