The group accused the Police of obtaining statements from suspects under duress.
File Photo
The Prisoner Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) a Non governmental Organization, has revealed that 70 Percent of prisoners in Kano Prisons are awaiting trails that span years.
The NGO further discovered that lack of speedy trails, putting of minor offenders in prisons and general non charlatan attitudes of government to the welfare of the inmates result in the heavy overcrowding of prisoners in the country.
Speaking during an advocacy Media Workshop in Kano, the rehabilitation action group Head of Programs, Kaltumi Mohammed Obeirian, said until government agreed that the administration of criminal justice is not just to punish somebody but prevent and control crimes, the nation would continue to solve the nightmare of prisons congestion.
The group, which, accused the Police of obtaining statements from suspects under duress, said, the Administration of Criminal Justice Kano State insists that statements could only be obtained with an accused lawyer present or a Civil Society group or anybody of his choice.
Similarly, Kaltumi said section 35(4) of the nation Constitution of 1999 as amended said an accused must be brought to Court within reasonable time for him to know his offences, ” and that section 36(5) indicate that an accused remains innocent until proven otherwise.”