Falana had in a suit with no FHC/ABJ/CSI/764/19, sought a mandatory order compelling the defendant to assign justices to conduct monthly inspections in the detention centres of the Department of State Service, Economic and Financial Crime Commissions, and police stations.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed December 5 for the hearing of the case filed against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abdul Kafarati, by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, for allegedly failing to appoint justices to conduct a monthly inspection of detention facilities.
Falana had in a suit with no FHC/ABJ/CSI/764/19, sought a mandatory order compelling the defendant to assign justices to conduct monthly inspections in the detention centres of the Department of State Service, Economic and Financial Crime Commissions, and police stations.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday before Justice Inyang Ekwo, counsel to the plaintiff (Falana), Marshal Abubakar, informed the court that the relief sought by the plaintiff was in line with Section 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Abubakar argued that thousands of persons were being detained without trial in various detention facilities across the country.
He added that federal agencies saddled with the arrest and prosecution had on several occasions failed to comply with the said law.
Falana had in a letter dated September 7, 2018, urged Kafarati to comply with statutory obligation.
He also recalled how a journalist (Jones Abiri) was arrested and detained for over two years without trial.
He also recalled how authorities of the Nigerian Navy have ignored demands for the release of about 150 persons held in naval detention facilities in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt.
He said in spite of the several cases of arbitrary detention at the various detention centres, Kafarati had not complied with the statutory provision.
The presiding judge adjourned the case until December 5, 2019 for mention.