Fmr. National Assist. GS. NBA Williams Ewenode, Lauds Delta CJ, For Activating S. 35(1) Of ACJL.

*Says Bold Step Taken By CJ To Curtail Human Rights Abuse.

Former Assistant General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association and Pioneer Secretary of  NBA, Effurun Branch, Onoriode Williams Ewenode, has commended the Hon. Chief Judge of Delta State (Hon. Justice T.O Diai) for activating the provision of Section 35 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Delta State, 2016.

He also lauded him for taking proactive measures in the area of human rights abuses.

Ewenode made this remark on Friday, morning, noting that the reason for the action of the Chief Judge is to curtail human rights abuse of the citizens,  thereby decongesting the Police cells.

It will be recalled that the Honourable, the Chief Judge vide a Circular dated 3rd August, 2021, instructed Chief Magistrates in Delta State to visit Police Cells within their Magisterial Districts for the purposes of amongst others, seeing the condition of the inmates in the cell, grant bail where necessary, free any suspect that ought not to have been detained etc thereby curtailing cases of human rights abuses and decongesting the Police cells.

He said: “I wish to specially commend my Lord, the Chief Judge of Delta State (Hon. Justice T.O Diai) for this bold step in activating the provision of Section 35(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Delta State, 2016 (ACJL) which has been lying idle.

“In the last few days, the reports from the visits of some Chief Magistrates has been tremendous and heartwarming to the Legal Community and I urge that this should be a continuous process.

“There is no doubt that this bold step of His Lordship is further reducing the cases of human rights abuses and decongestion of the Police detention facilities in Delta State.

“I wish other States which have not activated the relevant provision in their ACJL should do so”, he added.