The Akure department of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation has urged the Ondo State Police Command to handle alleged harassment and intimidation of lawyers at police stations whereas representing their shoppers.
The NBA additionally sought stronger collaboration with the command to enhance the implementation of the Administration of Prison Justice Legislation in the state.
The Chairman of the Akure department, Oju Kekemeke, made the decision throughout a courtesy go to by the department’s new government to the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, on the command headquarters in Akure on Thursday.
Kekemeke, in a press release made obtainable to newsmen on Friday, mentioned lawyers and police officers had complementary roles in sustaining a secure and organised society and will work collectively fairly than have interaction in battle.
“The start line is mutual respect for our professions. The lawyer should respect the Police in his line of obligation. The police should additionally respect the lawyer as an advocate and solicitor in line together with his name.
“It’s this understanding and collaboration that may allow us to work collectively in our shared institutional accountability by making the Administration of Prison Justice Legislation work in follow, from arrest and investigation by prosecution and trial,” he mentioned.
The NBA chairman proposed common Police-NBA prison justice coordination conferences to handle points together with lawful arrests, safety of suspects’ rights, entry to counsel throughout statement-taking, investigations, authorized recommendation, detention, bail and bond procedures, and human rights compliance.
He additionally proposed month-to-month inspections of police detention services and joint coaching programmes for lawyers and police officers.
Kekemeke, nonetheless, mentioned some lawyers had been “harassed, intimidated, and at instances molested” at police stations whereas representing shoppers.
“We respectfully urge you, sir, to make use of your good workplaces to interact police officers to know the position of the lawyers, as we will even have interaction our members to respect the police in the road of their obligation.
“If for no matter cause the police have points with any of our members, we suggest that our affiliation be instantly communicated for correct engagement of such points to keep away from recurrent conflicts,” he added.
The NBA chairman additionally criticised the command’s coverage requiring lawyers to give up their cellphones earlier than getting into police stations.
He mentioned the coverage may have an effect on lawyers’ skill to characterize their shoppers, noting that telephones contained data, together with confidential shopper materials.
”The lawyers’ telephone is greater than a gadget; it’s a cell library, it’s a repository of data (largely shoppers’ confidential data) and rather more.
“Cheap screening and restrictions on pictures or recording inside delicate areas could also be maintained the place justified, however the mere possession of a lawyer’s telephone shouldn’t grow to be an obstacle to accessing his shopper,” he added.
Responding, Ohagwu mentioned the efficient administration of prison justice required the complementary efforts of the police, authorized practitioners and different stakeholders.
The commissioner welcomed the proposal for stronger collaboration between the police and NBA and warranted the lawyers of the command’s readiness to maintain “skilled engagement, enhance communication and help initiatives that promote justice, accountability and the rule of regulation.”
