Benue State University, Makurdi

The Legal Framework for Plea Bargain under Kaduna State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2017: An Appraisal

Isiaka A.A.^*

Abstract

Inordinate and undue delay in the determination of criminal cases remained a major challenge to the administration of criminal justice in Kaduna State and in Nigeria as a whole. These delays are to a large extent due to some infrastructures such as inbuilt delay mechanism in law as well as failure on the part of courts, lawyers, law enforcement agencies, litigants and witnesses. The Kaduna State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017 was analysed and appraised to determine its framework to deal with inordinate delay in administering criminal justice in Kaduna State. The paper adopted the doctrinal method of research which analytically appraised the provision of Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment ETC) Act, 2004, Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Kaduna State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, books and Journal publications. It was found that there existed some loopholes in the law particularly lack of time frame for plea bargain process and the noninauguration of the Administration of Criminal justice Monitoring Committee. It was therefore recommended that there be enacted a specified period, probably thirty to sixty days, to complete plea bargain agreement, subject to each individual case. It was also recommended that the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitory Committee be inaugurated without further delay to enable the Committee’s take off.

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