Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu Seeks Amendment To Criminal Justice Act

Barely a month after the chief whip of the Nigerian Senate, Uzor Orji Kalu, was released from the Kuje Correctional Centre, the politician has sought amendments to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015.

The amendment bill titled, ‘administration of criminal justice act 2015 (amendment) bill’, 2020 was read before the plenary on Wednesday, June 30 by the Senate clerk, Nelson Ayewoh.

Naija News understands that the former governor of Abia state had spent about five months in the Kuje Correctional before a supreme court ruling nullified his conviction on the grounds that Mohammed Idris, the trial judge, did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter since he had been elevated to the court of appeal.

Naija News also gathered that the amendment bill, though its details not exposed to the public domain, borders on decongesting the prisons.

According to Kalu following his release from the correctional centre, over 70 per cent of the population in prison are awaiting trial.

“I shall be dedicating my time henceforth to ensuring there will be justice for all Nigerians whether they are in Sokoto or Akwa Ibom or in Lagos or Maiduguri or in Jos or Enugu, or wherever they may be,” said Kalu in a statement in the previous months.

He added, “A system whereby over 70% of all prison inmates population is made up of people awaiting trial cannot be allowed to continue. Situations, where innocent people are falsely charged with murder just to get them out of the way, does not dignify our country and cannot continue.”

“Justice must now mean justice for all. That is my pledge to Nigerians,” Kalu reiterated.