Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has commended the Kano State Government for its progressive approach to administering criminal justice in the state.
Falana stated this during a capacity-building workshop for prosecutors on the effective administration of criminal justice on Wednesday in Kano.
He called on the mass media to engage in public enlightenment,by educating people about their rights under the law.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by Kurawa Hussein and Associates in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Justice.
He lauded the state for adopting the FIDRA Administration of Criminal Justice Act in 2019, making it the first state to abolish prosecution of criminal cases by lay police officers.
Falana emphasised the need for prosecutors to be equipped with modern gadgets and effective training to enhance their performance.
Falana also stressed the importance of improving the conditions of service for prosecutors to enable them focus on their assignments.
He highlighted the challenges faced by the poor in accessing justice, citing economic conditions and the need for government intervention.
To address these challenges, he suggested empowering the office of the public defender to assist the poor, with presence in every Local Government Area of the state.
Falana said that this would enable the poor to access justice and have lawyers assigned to their cases.
He emphasised the importance of protecting the rights of suspects and promoting confidence in the justice system, adding that suspects have the right to demand legal representation, and that the police must contact the Legal Aid Council to provide a lawyer.
According to him, this would help promote a better understanding of the justice system and empower citizens to seek justice when needed.( NAN)
