By Anayo Okoli
ENUGU — The Anambra State Government has begun a comprehensive review of criminal cases arising from land disputes, a move that may lead to the withdrawal of prosecutions found to be civil in nature.
The initiative, announced by the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, is part of ongoing reforms aimed at decongesting correctional centres and improving the state’s criminal justice system.
In a public notice signed by the Head of the Attorney General’s Chambers, Chinwe G. Okonkwo-Okom, the government expressed concern over what it described as the increasing criminalisation of civil land matters.
“The Honourable Attorney General of Anambra State has observed with concern the undue criminalization of civil matters involving land disputes which constitute a substantial number of the criminal cases pending in various courts in the State,” the notice stated.
The Attorney General said the review would cover all pending criminal matters relating to land disputes to determine cases that are civil in nature and discontinue such prosecutions where appropriate, in line with constitutional powers of the office.
Members of the public with such cases have been invited to submit complaints for review, especially where they believe the matters are civil disputes wrongly treated as criminal offences.
“Members of the public are hereby invited to submit complaints in respect of criminal cases involving land disputes pending against any person either in the High Court of the State or in the Magistrate Courts which are believed to be civil in nature for the Attorney General’s review,” the notice added.
Complainants are required to submit copies of the charge or information, proof of evidence, and other relevant documents at the Attorney General’s Conference Room, Ministry of Justice, Awka.
Okonkwo-Okom explained that the review is aimed at ensuring that civil land disputes are not improperly prosecuted as criminal cases, a situation that has contributed to congestion in correctional facilities.
The exercise is expected to result in the discontinuation of cases identified as civil disputes, while reinforcing proper use of the criminal justice system.
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