Lagos prosecutes 185 cases in 60 days

The Lagos State Government has prosecuted about 185 cases within the months of March and April 2020 from three magisterial districts of Ogba, Ebute-Meta and Ikorodu.

This is contained in the monthly report of district prosecutors released by the ministry.In the report, prosecution of the 185 cases was approved after been filtered by the district prosecutors assigned to Ikorodu, Ogba and Ebutte-Metta magistrate courts.

The creation of District Prosecutors on March 3, 2020 as a sub-unit under the department of Public Prosecution to operate in a pilot scheme involving three magisterial areas of the State, was adopted as part of the recommendations of the Arthur Worrey-led Advisory Committee on Police prosecutorial power in magistrate courts inaugurated in January, 2020 by the State Attorney General and commissioner for Justice.

In the recommendation, Arthur-Worry, said a sub-unit of the DPP office should be established in three Magistrate Courts to filter charges presented by Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to the magistrate courts.

He added that the involvement of the sub-unit of the DPP’s office would ensure that cases presented by the IPO meets the evidential threshold required by the law.

According to a statement by the ministry’s director, Public Affairs, Mr. Kayode Oyekanmi, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, (SAN) in his reaction during the submission of the report of the Committee, said; “the operations of the district prosecutors would enhance speedy prosecution of cases before the court. It would also ensure the striking out of cases that disclose no prima facia evidence of offense committed.”

He added that the district prosecutors would henceforth, take over the prosecution of severe and grievous criminal matters before the court.