Osinbajo to inaugurate National Prosecution Coordination Committee
(Nigeria) Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is to inaugurate the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, NPCC, which is primarily charged with the handling high profile cases having public interest elements in Nigeria.
The formation of the Committee which will be inaugurated on May
27, 2016 at the Presidential Villa, going by its spokesman, Salihu Isah is pursuant to the powers vested
on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar
Malami, SAN as the nation’s Chief Law Officer as contained in Section 174(1) of
the 1999 Constitution.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under
Section 174(1) vested the powers on the Attorney General of the Federation to
institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court
of law in Nigeria, other than a court martial, in respect of any offence
created by or under any Act of the National Assembly.
“The HAGF is also to take over and continue any such
criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other authority or
person.
“ He is equally charged to discontinue at any stage before
judgment is delivered any such criminal proceedings instituted or undertaken by
him or any other authority or person. This is the position of the
Constitution.”
Isah who doubles as the Media Adviser to the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said in a statement in Abuja
on Wednesday, that the 19-man Committee is charged with the efficient,
effective and result oriented prosecution of high profile criminal cases in the
country.
According to him, the Committee is also to guarantee prompt
contact and synergy between investigators and the prosecutors of high profile
criminal cases, manage information to the public on such cases as well as to
ensure strict compliance to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA,
2015.
For its terms of reference, the NPCC is to advise the HAGF
on the exercise of his prosecutorial powers in Section 150 and 174 of the 1999
Constitution, prepare the policy strategy document for the coordination of
investigation and prosecution of high profile criminal cases in Nigeria and to
also collate the list of such cases as well as assigning them to prosecution
teams.
The Committee will scrutinize the proof of evidence and
charges in high profile criminal cases in the country before arraignment. In
addition, it will receive and analyse reports from the investigation and
prosecution teams engaged to handle such cases.
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