Anambra State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Sylvia Ifemeje says Correctional Centers for Juveniles will be established in order to decongest, ensure speedy trial, specific days for criminal, civil matters thereby upholding rights of inmates awaiting trial.
Professor Ifemeje revealed that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is committed to having a Correctional Centers for juveniles in conflict with the law in the state.
She explained that the absence of the centers has been creating problems in character reformation in a congested facility.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that the Attorney General while speaking during a meeting in Awka said this was the view and unanimous decision of members of the Anambra State Steering Committee on Implementation of International Idea and ROLAC Two Programme.
The Commissioner for Justice, explained that the amendment of the constitution of the federal government that included Correctional Centers in the Concurrent Legislative List has enabled the Anambra State Ministry of Justice to initiate the Correctional Service Bill to help the state in proper facility management and possible expansion; given that criminality rate is on the increase in present-day society.
Professor Ifemeje, who also chairs the steering committee, commended RoLAC for being helpful in reforming the justice sector of the state and strengthening its anti-corruption drive.
Contributing, a member of the committee and Chairman of Anambra State Disability Rights Commission, Barrister Chuks Ezewuzie, said that access to justice requires that attention should be given to speedy trial of criminal cases, which he said will ensure that those in awaiting trial are not allowed to stay long and be badly influenced by convicted inmates.
In her remark, the Anambra State Coordinator of RoLAC, Mrs Josephine Onah, called for increased state support for better project outcomes.
