Stakeholders in Delta have called for review of administration of the Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and Civil Justice Law to strengthen delivery and enforcement in the state.
The call was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba, chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN.
Ohwovoriole, in a statement made available on Thursday, stressed that reforms must be properly enforced to achieve meaningful judicial transformation.
He warned that legal reforms risked becoming ineffective if courts and institutions failed to fully implement approved justice sector policies.
According to him, the reforms were designed to ensure faster and more efficient handling of civil and criminal cases across the state judiciary.
He noted that significant implementation challenges persisted under both the Civil Justice Law and the existing Rules of Court.
The attorney-general highlighted electronic filing (e-filing) as a key innovation introduced by the state to modernise court processes and improve efficiency.
He explained that although no commencement date was specified in the law, e-filing officially began on Dec. 22, 2023.
Ohwovoriole said the ACJL was assented to on Dec. 22, 2022, with the first successful e-filing recorded on May 20.
He added that only Part Five of the law, covering case management, was given a structured transition period for gradual implementation.
”Pilot courts were directed to commence immediate application, while others were granted a 12-month transition window for adjustment.
”However, full compliance across all courts was expected to be achieved by December 2023, according to the initial implementation plan, ” he said.
The commissioner also said he discovered delays in implementation after assuming office in February 2024, prompting a review of the process.
He explained that this led to a legislative amendment in June 2024, extending implementation by 24 months from the date of assent.
Ohwovoriole stated that full statewide implementation is now scheduled for completion by June 5.
He said the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to determine whether to extend the timeline further or enforce full compliance statewide.
On her part, the State Chief Judge, Justice Tessy Diai, said the review was necessary to align the laws with current operational realities in the justice system.
She noted that implementation challenges were expected and did not reflect weaknesses in the design of the legal reforms.
Diai added that periodic review would ensure the justice system remained effective, relevant, and responsive to public needs.
The meeting ended with a resolution to continue implementation in approved pilot courts designated by the Chief Judge.
Stakeholders also agreed that relevant provisions should be fully integrated into existing Rules of Court for uniform application across the judiciary.
The report recalls that the ACJL designed to modernise civil proceedings in High Courts , was domesticated in Delta on Dec. 22, 2022.
The law was later amended by the Delta House of Assembly and signed into law in the state in 2024.
The law encouraged litigants to resolve disputes without going to court, with pre-litigation processes to help to either resolve disputes or narrow down the issues.