Enugu Govt approves Witness Trust Fund for quick dispensation of justice

Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved a Witness Support Fund, earmarked for calling of witnesses, especially in criminal cases, to facilitate quick dispensation of Justice.

Mr Kingsley Udeh, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu while interacting with journalists in his office.

According to Udeh, it is one of the things that stalled quick dispensation of justice before the current administration.

“You know that criminal prosecution is done by the state. You know that the government is not the victim or complainant in the case, and we call witnesses.

“Before now, no money is assigned to the prosecutor for calling witnesses. You may be asking if the witnesses are paid to come to the court. We do not pay them, but we provide them with logistics.

“So if you are calling a Pathologist to come and give an expert evidence as expert witness, they wouldn’t come until you give them money not to pay them but their logistics,” the Attorney-General said.

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The commissioner, however, disclosed that Mbah-led administration had initiated different strategies to ensure quick dispensation of justice, which include digitalisation of court filing process, virtual trail of cases, and introduction of Witness Support Fund.

He said that the state government was using every legal instrument at its disposal to decongest the correctional centres in the state, including granting of State Pardon to deserving inmates.

Udeh revealed that the trial of Sunday Echeji, who cut off the wife’s hand would commence soon.

He that the trial of the suspected killer of the popular musician, Mr. Okezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo Jah, would equally start soon.

The attorney general said the Ministry of Justice had qualified and competent lawyers to prosecute both cases efficiently.

He noted that the ministry under him was prosecuting many criminal cases, revealing that it had treated over 100 criminal case files every month, which he admitted was on a high side.

Udeh announced that the Supreme Court had granted Enugu State full ownership of the Hotel Presidential, which, according to him, ended all litigations previously hindering the government from doing the needful.