By Alex Ababio
The U.S Department of State’s 2021 Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices issued to the public on 12 April 2022 has stated: “While the constitution and law accommodate an autonomous judiciary, the judiciary was vulnerable to unlawful influence and corruption”.
Judicial practitioners purportedly took bribe to assist or delay cases, ‘lose’ records, or issue favourable decisions for the payer of the bribe”, the report revealed.
It said a judicial complaint unit attached to the Ministry of Justice headed by a retired Supreme Court Justice addressed complaints from the general public , for example, unfair treatment by a court or judge, unlawful arrest or confinement, missing trial docket , delayed trials and delivering of judgements, and bribery of judges.
The report, nonetheless, noted that the government “by and large regarded court orders”.
Peruse portions of the report on the judiciary underneath:
Trial Procedures
The constitution and law accommodate the right to a fair hearing, and a free judiciary by and large upheld this right.
Criminal hearings should be public except if the court orders them close in light of a legitimate concern for public profound interest and morality , public security, public request, safeguard, the government assistance of people more youthful than age 18, insurance of the private existences of people worried in the procedures, and as needs be or practical where publicity would bias or prejudice the interests of Justice.
Litigants are assumed guiltless and reserve the right to be informed immediately and exhaustively of charges against them, with free help of a translator as the need should arise
Litigants reserve the privilege to a fair and public trial immediately, however trials were frequently postponed.
Respondents reserve the privilege to be available at their trials , be addressed by a lawyer, and have one given at public cost if unfit to pay.
Most poverty stricken accused people, in any case, represented themselves in court.
The Legal Aid Commission represented a few defendants in criminal cases.
Albeit the law accommodates a Public Defender Division, the government didn’t established it.
Respondents likewise reserve the right to satisfactory time and offices to prepare their defence , present witnesses and proof, and go up against prosecution or plaintiff witness.
Defendants have the right not to be constrained to affirm or admit culpability, albeit for the most part litigants are supposed to affirm in the event that the government presents adequate starter proof of responsibility.
Litigants reserve the privilege to appeal . Military work force are trial independently under the criminal code in a military court.
Military courts, which give similar right as regular citizen courts, are not allowed to trial regular citizens.
Town and other traditional chiefs might intercede neighborhood matters and enforce customary tribal laws managing such matters as divorce, child custody, and property disputes .
Their authority kept on dissolving, nonetheless, in view of the growing power of civil institution, including courts and district assemblies .
