The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, says its intension to offer free legal services to Hanifa’s alleged killers, Abdulmalik Tanko and 2 other defendants is to fulfill the requirements of the law, in a bid to ensure justice prevailed at the end of the trial.
The Kano State Coordinator of the Council, Barrister Labaran Usman Kabo, made the ascertion during an interview with the Journalists in Kano on Friday.
Justice Watch News earlier reports that lack of legal representation on Feb.7, stalled the trial of the defendants when the case came up for arraignment before a Kano High Court.
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He also said it was requirements of the law that the case will not proceed without a legal representation, saying their involvement is significance.
Barrister Kabo maintained that he received instructions from the Director General of Legal Aid Council of Nigeria to defend the Trio.
He noted that the Council was established by decree number 56 of 1976 which created the council to defend the less privilege and people that can not afford the services of Private lawyers.
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He further maintained that the defendants are entitled to be represented in court, adding that it is their constitutional right to select the lawyer of their own choice
” Chapter 4 and Section 36 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended emphasized on fair hearing, section 36 sub (6) and (c) stated on right of counsel to represent a defendant in court.
“Section 36 sub (5) stressed on presumption of innocence of every person charge with any offence.
According to him the defense representation was to make sure that the case proceed without any delay.
” we will do the needful, we are bound to do justice to all of them.
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“We pray the court to allow accelerated hearing to avoid series of adjournments, as provided by section 3 of Adminstration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2019, ”
” Let me refer you to the case of Yahaya Sharia who was tried and convicted to death sentence by Upper Shari’a court filin hockey, Kano, but later appeal court overturned the judgement after observing he was not represented by a lawyer. So our represention is key and crucial”
” Our intention is not fight with the prosecution team but discharge our constitutional responsibility” he stated
He stressed the significance of seeking knowledge rather than being a rumour pedlar in an issue one doesn’t aware
