The Chief Judge of Kogi, Justice Nasir Ajanah, on Wednesday directed judges in the state to discharge accused persons if the police witnesses displayed “care-free attitude’’.
Ajanah, who gave the directive after reviewing warrants of 35 awaiting trial inmates at Federal Prisons, Idah, decried the lackadaisical attitude of some Investigating Police Officers (IPOs).
The chief judge’s visit was part of his prison decongestion exercise.
He expressed regrets that the IPOs who were important witnesses in criminal cases had developed the habit of frustrating the courts in delivery of justice by absenting themselves from courts.
“There is something that I have noticed in all the prisons we have visited.
“It is the issue of the police taking people to courts and on the dates the cases are to be heard, the courts are told that the IPOs are on `special assignment’.
“Let me say that this does not augur well for the administration of criminal justice.
“I have directed that preferences should be given to cases where IPOs are to give evidence so that the IPO can give evidence and go immediately.
“I am also giving directive to the judges that if in any case an accused is brought to the court for decoration and no serious effort is made at prosecuting the offence, the court should discharge such accused,” he said.
He further cautioned police officers against being used as agents of oppression by influential people.
Ajanah said he noticed from his interactions with awaiting trial inmates at the prisons that some cases were taken to court or reported to the police purely to oppress some innocent individuals.
“I call on the police in particular to always carryout thorough investigations in respect of some cases and make sure that nobody uses prison facilities to oppress anybody.
“I want the police to make sure that if they discover that there is any of such attempt to oppress any person by using the machinery of the state, they should bring those involved to book to serve as deterrent to others,” he said.
Ajanah, however, observed that some of the awaiting trial inmates at the Ankpa Prison had mental challenges.
He, therefore, urged the state Director of Public Prosecution to ensure such accused persons undergo psychiatric examination before the commencement of the trials.
-dailypost