Anambra offers plea bargain to suspects, those with serious violent crimes excluded

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By Madu Obi

As part of a deliberate effort to speed up the trial of suspects and ensure quick dispensation of justice, the Anambra State government has offered a plea bargain to all suspects undergoing criminal trial.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, however, said that those on trial for murder, rape, armed robbery, and kidnapping, are excluded from the bargain.

The Attorney General observed that it is both necessary and timely to explore the plea bargain option both as a statutory provision of the Criminal Justice Law and in exercise of the powers of the office of the Attorney General of a state.

“It has become necessary to operationalize and mainstream plea bargain in the administration of criminal justice in Anambra State in furtherance of the provisions of section 156 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, 2022,” the Attorney General said.

Accordingly, Nweke directed that defendants in a criminal trial shall be issued with a plea bargain form by the prosecuting council or officer.

The prosecuting council or officer, he added , should notify the defendant of his or her option to plea bargain by completing the form, adding that upon completion, the form should be submitted to the Ministry of Justice.

The AG noted that any charge that fails to comply with the instruction “shall be deemed to have been brought contrary to the directive and may be discontinued.”

Nweke also directed that plea bargain agreements shall be part of prosecution, which shall be endorsed by the head of the legal department of the prosecuting agency, or by the Attorney General when the case is prosecuted by law officers of the Ministry of Justice of Anambra State.

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Media, Dr Ebuka Onyekwelu, said in a statement that the move is in line with the ambitious and bold judicial reforms of the Soludo administration in ensuring expeditious and timely dispensation of justice.

"In the People’s Manifesto, Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, promised to actively collaborate with legislators and judiciary for speedy administration of justice.

"Similarly, the Solution Agenda assured that the government of Professor Soludo will collaborate with the judiciary to upscale the efficiency of the judicial process", Onyekwelu said.