By Uchenna Ezeadigwe
Awka
The Anambra State Government has introduced a plea bargain initiative for suspects facing criminal trials in the state, excluding those charged with serious violent offences such as murder, rape, armed robbery and kidnapping.
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to expedite criminal trials and promote the speedy dispensation of justice.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Anambra State, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, announced the directive in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Nweke said the decision to operationalise and mainstream plea bargaining in the administration of criminal justice was both necessary and timely, noting that it was supported by the Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State and the statutory powers of the Attorney General.
“It has become necessary to operationalise and mainstream plea bargain in the administration of criminal justice in Anambra State in furtherance of the provisions of Section 156 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, 2022,” the Attorney General said.
Under the new directive, defendants standing trial for offences eligible for plea bargaining are to be issued plea bargain forms by the prosecuting counsel or officer. The defendant is then to be informed of the option to enter into a plea bargain and complete the relevant form.
Upon completion, the form is to be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for further processing.
The Attorney General further directed that any charge that fails to comply with the directive “shall be deemed to have been brought contrary to the directive and may be discontinued.”
He also directed that all plea bargain agreements must form part of the prosecution record and be endorsed by the head of the legal department of the prosecuting agency. Where a case is prosecuted by law officers of the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, the agreement must be endorsed by the Attorney General.
The initiative is part of the judicial reforms being pursued by the administration of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to promote the expeditious and timely administration of justice in the state.
In the People’s Manifesto, the governor pledged to “actively collaborate with legislators and judiciary…for speedy administration of justice.”
Similarly, the Solution Agenda states that the Soludo administration will “collaborate with the judiciary to upscale the efficiency of the judicial process.”
