Federal Government Set To Launch Virtual Court Facilities — AGF

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, disclosed that all is set to launch the pilot nationwide deployment and use of Virtual Court Proceedings in Nigeria’s Correctional Centres.

Malami said, the pilot project facilities will commence with the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, on December 6.

Represented on Friday in Abuja, by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Malami said the initiative is one of the strategic interventions by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and indeed the Federal Government towards engendering lasting reforms in the Criminal Justice Sector in Nigeria.

According to him “Expected at the occasion is the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Halilu Nababa, as well as members of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion.

“The Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion, Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, working with the representative of the supporting organization,  Oyinye Ndubuisi of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are working assiduously to ensure achievement of the laudable project.

He said the ministry, in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion, are expediting engagement with the Nigerian Correctional Centres to make it possible for evidence of suspects in custody to be taken without their physical presence in court to avoid disruptions.

“The development is part of the process to implement the Post-COVID-19 Justice Sector Plan, marshalled out by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation in April 2020.