90% of prisons’ awaiting trials are indigent –NBA President

[Mirror]

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday said that 90 per cent of people awaiting trial in prisons across the country are indigent persons.

President of the association, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), stated this in his paper presented at a conference organised by the Legal Aid Council with the theme; "Access to Justice: Advancing the Frontier of Pro bono," held at City Hall, Lagos.

According to him, the unaddressed legal services' needs of indigent persons in the society were as a result of meager funding for legal aid in the country.

According to the NBA President, a figure given by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Prisons stated that 28, 000 Nigerians held in various prisons across the country are awaiting trial.

He observed that the judicial system in the country favours the wealthy while the poor were unable to access justice.

In a bid to finding a lasting solution to the problem, the NBA boss said the NBA Human Rights Institute, NHRI, launched the National Pro bono Services Scheme with the responsibility of providing free legal services for accused persons awaiting trial as well as suspects with no adequate legal representation.

The NBA President urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the Legal Aid Council and employ more personnel at the council.

In her presentation, the guest lecturer, Ms. Yasim Batliwala, stressed the need to create awareness for the disadvantaged and voluntary people in the society.

Batliwala, who is the chief executive at Advocates for International Development, United Kingdom, said it's the responsibility of legal practitioners to uphold and defend the indigent in the society.

National Mirror