Enugu State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh has revealed that the ministry treat over 100 criminal case files every month.
Udeh, who disclosed this in Enugu while interacting with journalists in his office, said that the criminal trial of Mr. Sunday Echeji, who cut off the hand of his wife, Mrs. Chinonso Echeji will start next week.
He added that the trial of the suspected killer of the popular musician, Mr. Okezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo Jah, would equally start next week.
He noted that the ministry under him is prosecuting many criminal cases, revealing that they treat over one hundred criminal case files every month, which he admitted is on a high side.
According to him, Ministry of Justice has qualified and competent lawyers to prosecute both cases efficiently.
The commissioner, however, pointed out that Peter Mbah-led administration has initiated different strategies to ensure quick dispensation of justice, which include digitalisation of court filing process, virtual trail of cases, and introduction of Witness Support Fund.
He said “Now His Excellency the governor has approved what we called Witness Support Fund, money earmarked for calling witnesses, especially in the criminal case.
“It was one of the things that stalled quick dispensation of justice before the current administration.
“You know that criminal prosecution is done by the state. You know that the government is not the victim or complainant in the case, and we call witnesses.
“Before now, no money is assigned to the prosecutor for calling witnesses. You may be asking if the witnesses are paid to come to the court. We don’t pay them, but we provide them with logistics.
“So if you are calling a Pathologist for come and give an expert evidence as expert witness, they wouldn’t come until you give them money nit to pay them but their logistics,” the Attorney-General said.
He informed the journalists that the state government is using every legal instrument at its disposal to decongest the correctional centres in the state, including granting of State Pardon to deserving inmates.
Udeh announced that the Supreme Court has granted Enugu State full ownership of the Hotel Presidential, which, according to him, ended all litigations previously hindering the government from doing the needful.
“Criminals were using Hotel Presidential as hideout because it was a massive structure, no security there, so criminals were having a field day there.
“The court ordered us to go there and the place in order and pursue criminals out because it has become a security threat. So we did that and started putting things in order.
“And then we started pursuing with speed knowing that there is a limit we can go because of litigation against the state. So, we start pursuing to end the case, which was at the Supreme Court,” he added.
