GOVERNOR Aminu Masari has faulted the release of suspected bandits, rapists, and other criminals by the courts.
Masari, who spoke during the swearing-in of three newly appointed High Court judges in Katsina, yesterday, charged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to counsel its members who are in the habit of helping criminals to secure bail through the instrument of fundamental rights enforcement to be ethical and avoid comprise under cover.
He said: “We are in an unusual time of serious security challenges and must therefore put heads together to address these unusual challenges.
“We have had incidents where suspected bandits, terrorists, armed robbers, and rapists were released on bail only for them to commit the same offence.
“Such ugly incidents could have been averted if bail was not granted at all.
“The overriding objective of every legal system, he said, is to deliver justice which is the best pivot and pillar that upholds the very best of decency and the best guarantee for peace, prosperity, and good governance.
“The age-long adage that justice delayed is justice denied, has been a thing of concern to the government.
“Thus there is the need to address the speed of justice among all stakeholders in the justice sector.
“It was in response to the Justice Sector Reform in the state that the state Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2019 and the state Penal Code Law, 2019 were repealed and replaced with the new laws of 2021.”
