The Lagos House of Assembly has passed an amended version of the Criminal Justice Law of the State barring the Police from parading suspects before the media henceforth.
Section 9(A) of the bill, which was passed after a voice vote at a sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, states that the Police must from the commencement of the law refrain from parading any suspect before the media.
The bill, which also stipulates conditions under which the Police can arrest without warrant states that a person must be reasonably suspected to unlawfully be in possession of firearms or other such dangerous instruments.
A subsection of the passed bill also barred the Police or any other agency from arresting a person ‘in lieu of any other person in a criminal matter’; adding that a person who is arrested shall be given reasonable facilities for obtaining legal advice, bail or make arrangements for defence or release.
“A suspect should be accorded humane treatment, with the right to dignity of person; not be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment; be brought before the court as prescribed by this law or any other written law; or be released conditionally or unconditionally,” the law reads in part.
The Deputy Speaker on behalf of the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa directed the acting Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, to convey the bill to the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his assent.