Senate Passes Criminal Justice Bill

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Criminal Justice Bill.

According to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru (Sokoto South), the Bill, when signed into law by the president, would promote efficient management of criminal justice institutions.

Dahiru said the bill will equally help to protect the rights and interests of suspects, defendants and victims.

He said, the Bill has merged and consolidated the Criminal Procedure Code applicable in the North with the Criminal Procedure Code applicable in the Southern parts of the country.

He added that the Bill had also unified the criminal procedure of the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory with that of all Federal High Courts in the country.

Senate President, David Mark, said the passage of the Bill would go a long way in repositioning the criminal justice system in the country.

Mark commended the effort of lawmakers and the various committees at ensuring that the Bill was passed into law.

He said, “The effort we have all put into passing this Bill goes to show how important it is.”