The Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, has described legal year as a platform to celebrate past achievements and a call to action for the legal community in striving for a legal system where justice is delivered swiftly, efficiently and fairly.
Ohwovoriole stated this at the Ceremonial Hall , High Court Complex, Asaba during the 2024/2025 Legal Year Special Court Session.
The Attorney-General used the opportunity to reiterate his commitment towards advancing the administration of justice in the state within the framework of Governor Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda.
Ohwovoriole, who highlighted his role to include among others, ensure that the State’s legal framework was robust, stated that with the support of his staff , the Ministry was determined to contribute their quota towards actualizing the vision of that Governor to enhance security and prosperity of the state.
He said that in the alignment with the MORE Agenda, regular training of Law Officers conducted by first rate resource person had been a crucial component of his Ministry’s initiative, stressing that their commitment to enhancing legal knowledge and skills extended beyond the Ministry.
Ohwovoriole disclosed that as part of the efforts to narrow the chances of offenders evading justice, a platform had been created for cooperation and synergy between law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Justice .
He said that the collaboration had been instrumental in improving the quality of investigations and ensuring that cases were meticulously prepared before being taken to court and emphasized that in strengthening the partnership, regular meetings were held with stakeholders to discuss and proffer solutions to factors hampering the efficient dispensation of criminal justice.
On plea bargain, the Attorney-General explained that about one -tenth of the criminal cases filed in any given year were concluded within one year , noting that to address the issue, the Ministry looked to other jurisdictions with similar challenges in the past , particularly the United States of America and the United Kingdom and found that over 90% of criminal cases in the United States were resolved through plea bargaining while in the United Kingdom, it was about 65% .
Ohwovoriole recalled that the Delta State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2022 contained comprehensive provisions on plea bargaining, saying that they only needed to put the provisions into practice.
The Attorney-General identified virtual hearings as a panacea to non-production of defendants to face trial in court , emphasizing that by the provisions of the Correctional Service Act . 2019, the Correctional Service was required to convey remanded persons to and from courts in a motorized formation.
Ohwovoriole stated that in order to effectively address the problem, the Governor approved and directed the establishment of a Committee on Virtual Hearing of Criminal Matters to fashion out the modalities for the cost -effective use of virtual hearing to achieve speedy determination of criminal matters in the state.
In his remarks , the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba Branch, Mr. Azuka Paul Maduemezia reminded his colleagues that being a member of the legal profession was both an honour and a responsibility whether they stood at the bar or sit on the bench , that they were guardians of the law , entrusted with the solemn responsibility of upholding citizens’ rights and ensuring that justice not only prevail but be seen to be so .
Maduemezia told his members that the legal year was another opportunity for the judiciary to renew its resolve to uphold the integrity of the Bench, delivering justice impartially and fairly.
He commended the Governor for providing a conducive environment with the new High Court Complex and provision of vehicles for some of the Judges in the state.
