Niger CJ tackle Police, DPP for missing case files as inmates awaiting trial languishes for past five years

The Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik has taken a swipe on police prosecutors for keeping suspects in correctional facilities without taking them to court for proper prosecution.

The Chief Judge who spoke toughly against the police prosecutors during her maiden prison visit to Minna old correctional centre Wednesday condemned in totality the deliberate refusal of police prosecutors to arraign suspects in court.

Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik described the deliberate refusal of the prosecutors as inhuman and heartless.

“You cannot just detain somebody without taking him to court for prosecution. They are human being like you.” she told the prosecutors.

The Chief Judge who was visibly annoyed with the Police prosecutors told the head of the prosecuting unit of the Niger State Police command, Abdullahi Mayaki to within the next 24 hours make available the case files of all the suspects on awaiting trial languishing in the correctional facilities to her office for necessary action.

Some of the inmates on awaiting trial at the correctional facilities have been on languishing for the past five years without tracing their case files at the office of the director of public prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice.

The police prosecutors claimed to have forwarded their case files to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice and the DPP who is also on the entourage of the Chief Judge, Mr Moses Gamzhi Chiroma told the Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik that he has not received any of the case files from the police legal unit for his legal input.

However, the head of the Legal Council (LAC) in Niger, Mrs Bolanle Jibogu who was also at the prison requested the Chief Judge to use her visit to the correctional centre to release those inmates that their case files could not be traced to the office of the DPP for lack of proper prosecution in court.

“My Lord, I want to make a passionate appeal on behalf of these inmates to use your good office and your visit to the correctional facility to discharge them.

“My Lord, these inmates were in detention for the past five years without any seriousness from the police prosecutors.

“Last year the former Chief Judge gave them two weeks to produce any evidence against them for proper prosecution, but they refuse. And we are here again this year.

“My Lord kindly discharge them for lack of any case against them by the police. This is our prayers my lord.” she appealed.