The former Chairman of Aguta Branch of Nigerian Bar Association, Sabastine U. Anyia Esq., has expressed support for the decision of the Kano Government stopping police from prosecuting criminal cases in court.

He said is a welcome development because to him prosecution by the police contravenes right to fair hearing. “It has been a thing of concern to me because the police prosecuting criminal cases in the court, offend the principle of fair hearing. How can the same people entrusted with the responsibility of investigating crimes, prepare a charge and at the same time prosecute the alleged offender?”

Mr. Ayia suspects that the prosecution is what must have made the police to develop wings so much that they do not have respect for lawyers nowadays. He said: “Young lawyers will go to the police station innocently to bail their clients, they will be manhandled and sometimes locked in the police cell. As if that is not enough, they will insult senior lawyers and tell them to go and wait for them in the court. Their insult on lawyers is becoming unbearable.”

He, therefore, calls on all the remaining 35 states government to emulate Kano government in preventing police from prosecuting cases in court. He further suggests that every local government should have a legal department so that these lawyers at the various local governments will be doing the work of prosecuting the over night cases and other cases from the police.

Ayia said keeping the police at a distance will make them respect the legal profession and such will place food on the table of young lawyers.

“The police will respect the legal profession more if we keep them at distance. After all, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. We must take back our profession and make the general public to start believing again that court is the last hope of a common man.
It is my considered view that this will keep our young lawyers busy and place food on their table.
I stand for the welfare of lawyers.”