Suspects
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, May 13, 2018 (NAN) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has cautioned law enforcement agencies and officers against maltreating suspects and defendants remanded under their custody.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr Tony Ojukwu, gave the warning in a statement by the commission’s Head of Media, Fatimah Agwai in Abuja on Sunday.
Agwai quoted the executive secretary as saying “ill treatment of suspects would be roundly condemned and perpetrators would be held accountable.”
Ojukwu also decried what he described as “flagrant disrespect for human rights by some law enforcement personnel in the course of their duties.”
He reiterated NHRC’s determination to take necessary steps to ensure that such officials were brought to justice.
The executive secretary said the commission had the powers to sanction persons or institutions that disobeyed its lawful directives, adding that such disobedience attracted six months imprisonment or N100,000 fine.
He expressed regret over the lack of respect for human rights by some law enforcement agencies, saying that such attitude created negative impression about the country and the agencies.
According to him, this also affects the flow of foreign investments into the country.
He noted that the commission was determined to ensure that the rights of detainees were adequately protected by ensuring that they were fairly treated during the process of their investigation and trial.
He reminded law enforcement agencies and officers of the need to abide by the provisions of the UN Minimum Standard Rules for Treatment of Persons under any form of detention.
He also urged officers to be mindful of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the Anti-Torture Act 2017 and other legislations and international instruments to which Nigeria was a party, in carrying out their lawful duties.
He said “all these instruments are in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to promote respect for human rights in law enforcement.
“Under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, every person charged for an offence shall be presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.” (NAN)
WS/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu