The Administration of Criminal Justice Rules 2022 was formally introduced on Thursday by Justice Munta Ladipo Abimbola, the Chief Judge of Oyo State. These rules will be applied in criminal cases in all courts under the jurisdiction of the Oyo State judiciary, with the exception of court martial procedures.

In the exercise of the authority granted to him by Sections 274 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution, Section 478 of the Oyo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2016, and all other authorities permitting him in his capacity as the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Abimbola created the law.

The rules, which were slated to go into effect on November 1, 2022, were designed to support the Oyo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2016’s execution in accordance with its goals and purposes of guaranteeing the equitable, effective, and efficient administration of criminal justice.

Justice Abimbola said that the primary goal of the law is to guarantee strict adherence to the Oyo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2016 during a statement enforcing the law in the state at the High Court Complex’s mini-conference room.
The CJ stated, “To ensure active participation of all parties to focus on matters that are genuinely in issue for trial thereby reducing delays and expenses at trials, protection of society from crime, and protection of the rights and interests of the suspect, the defendant, and the victim; and to ensure efficiency and speed in the management of criminal trials and dispensation of justice.”

Guidelines for arrest, bail and remand, disclosure, arraignment, case management, virtual hearing procedures, trial in absentia, case transfer, courtroom and attorney attitudes, costs, wasted costs and third-party costs, notices, sentencing, and community service are covered by the Administration of Criminal Justice Rules 2022, among other jurisprudential issues.

The Administration of Criminal Justice Rules 2022 also stipulate that, in order to expedite the administration of justice, the Chief Judge must assign cases within five working days of the process beginning, the court must serve trial notices within ten working days, and charge sheets must be served to defendants in all courts within seven days, unless the court orders otherwise.