NAN-H-39
Services
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Dec. 22, 2016 (NAN) Some Lagos- based lawyers, on Thursday urged their colleagues to be disposed to providing free legal services for indigent prison inmates in a bid to help decongest the prisons.
The lawyers told The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interview in Lagos that if more lawyers undertook free representation for inmates, it would also enhance justice system in the country.
A Lawyer and Civil rights activist, Mr Emenike Nnoromlele, noted that there was the desire by some accused in custody to secure free legal representation.
He, however, said that a handful of such accused could not afford to pay for the service of a lawyer, and so, were compelled to remain in custody unrepresented.
According to him, if every lawyer undertakes to represent one accused, it will go a long way in helping to facilitate the dispensation of justice and reduce the number of inmates in the prisons.
He, therefore, urged legal practitioners to make their impact felt in the profession, by providing legal assistance to prison inmates.
In the same vein, another lawyer and social critic, Mr Moses Adesanya, also urged lawyers to assist in bringing hope to indigent inmates by offering them free legal services.
He noted that most lawyers were reluctant to offer or handle cases without pay, either due to the existence of the Legal Aid Council, or the Office of the Public Defender.
Adesanya said that although these units had a duty of securing free representation for accused persons, there was room for the provision for more legal services for the growing number of inmates.
According to him, the task of providing free services for accused cannot not be left entirely to the units, adding that every lawyer is a stakeholder.
“The offer of free legal services is a responsibility of every qualified lawyer and this ought to be done with the intent of aiding the justice system,” he said.
Another lawyer, Mr Paul Ohazuruike, commended lawyers who undertook the defence of awaiting trial inmates and urged that same be replicated by others.
He added that the desire to undertake free legal representation of accused should be of paramount concern to lawyers. (NAN)
UNS/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed
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