The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has unveiled the Plea Bargaining Guidelines for Federal Prosecutors, 2023.
Speaking at the ceremony and maiden sensitization workshop on the guidelines in Abuja, Prince Fagbemi pointed out that the effective deployment of plea bargain provisions would reduce the financial cost of prosecutions, hasten trial processes, eliminate the uncertainty of trials, facilitate the quick return of stolen assets, and enhance the efficiency of the criminal justice system.
He, however, noted that the practice of plea bargaining in complex cases, especially when the defendant is a politically exposed person, is often misunderstood as a means of giving a soft landing to individuals who have looted the resources of the state and the commonwealth of the nation.
“This negative perception was more common before 2015, when there was no specific statutory provision regulating the practice of plea bargaining.
Prince Fagbemi appealed to state governments to adopt the provisions of these guidelines, especially when dealing with plea negotiations for federal offenses.
The guidelines were part of an innovation brought about by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, aimed at enhancing justice delivery in the country.
FRCN
