A retired judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, has called for court judgments to be more concise and straightforward to prevent public confusion and misinterpretation, especially in today’s politically charged environment.
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The retired judge and former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch spoke on Tuesday at The PUNCH’s Forum, organised by the newspapers editorial board.
The theme of the discourse was“Implications of Poor Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Human Rights in Nigeria”.
Responding to a question on why judgments from the court sometimes lead to confusion in the public space because they are not clear or straightforward, Justice Taiwo noted that lengthy and complex rulings often lead to misunderstandings, with legal professionals sometimes exacerbating the issue.
“The problem of confusing judgments is bias. And when I say bias, who stands to gain and who stands to lose?” he questioned.
He urged judges to ensure that rulings are “as brief and succinct as possible,” stating that the misinterpretation of legal decisions often stems from those analysing them rather than the judgments themselves.
Justice Taiwo also criticised lawyers for complicating cases with overly technical arguments, making judicial decisions harder for the public to understand.
Beyond the issue of judgment clarity, the retired judge also called for fairer bail conditions, arguing that some judges impose unnecessarily strict requirements “just to flex their muscle.”
He further addressed human rights violations by security agencies, condemning searches without warrant and poor investigative practices in Nigeria.
He cited legal provisions that protect privacy and urged law enforcement to adhere strictly to due process.
“What baffles me is that some policemen try to manipulate the law to suggest they can enter any property without a warrant, duly applied for, granted, and signed by a judicial officer or justice of the peace,” he said.
Justice Taiwo also criticised the poor quality of criminal investigations, arguing that cases should be thoroughly examined before arrests are made.
He pointed to the U.S. prosecution of convicted fraudster Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, a.k.a. “Ray Hushpuppi,” as an example of how investigations should be conducted before a case reaches court.
“The way cases are investigated in Nigeria is tasteless. You have to prove your case beyond a reasonable doubt, not with doubt,” he stated.
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