Stakeholders in the judiciary sector in Nigeria have been called upon to exploit the technological advancement in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance the speedy delivery of justice to the defendants in criminal trials.
Making the call was the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Williams Akinlolu Akinrotoye while presenting a paper titled: “Speedy Administration Of Criminal Justice To Defendants in Courts” during the year 2022 conference of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Prison and Hospital Ministry with the theme: “Fresh Air For Freedom” held at the Redemption Camp, Off Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Tuesday.
Akinrotoye noted that every stakeholder in the administration of criminal justice must not only be ready to embrace positive attitudinal change, but must also be prepared to exploit the technological advancement in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance speedy delivery of justice to the defendants in criminal justice trials.
He further stated that there must be regular training and development for all the challenges of administration of criminal justice in the 21st century.
In his welcome address, the National Chairman of the Prison and Hospital Ministry, Pastor Ariyo Popoola, stated that: “It is worthy of note that the last conference was in 2019 and this was as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged the world between the years 2020 and 2021.
“We are grateful that the Lord intervened and brought everything under control which made it possible for us to hold the third edition of the conference.
“The theme for this year’s conference is prophetic and the ministry’s expectation is that during and after the conference, people will experience fresh air for freedom in Nigeria.”
In her remarks, Deputy Controller of Corrections at RCCG Prison and Hospital Ministry Conference, Ogun State, Mrs Comfort Obioso, said: “As you may probably be aware following our daily activities at the Nigerian Prison Service now Nigerian Correctional Service, this topic is very dear to us as we in the service consider it as part of of the solutions being put in place by the service to achieve the three Rs (Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration).”
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