The Lagos State Ministry of Justice in conjunction with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) Programme, recently organized a Second Stakeholder’s Meeting on Plea Bargain and District Prosecutor’s Scheme at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Addressing participants at the meeting which was a hybrid version of both physical and online, the Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (S.A.N) ably represented by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga; appreciated the presence of stakeholders and noted that their participation reflects a shared commitment to improving the efficiency, fairness, and responsiveness of the Criminal Justice System.
“This meeting is a vital step in advancing reforms. The plea bargain mechanism helps to ease the burden on our courts and ensures quicker case resolution, while the District Prosecutors Scheme decentralizes prosecutions and brings justice closer to the people,” Mr. Oyenuga stated.
The Solicitor General emphasized that the success of these reforms relies on stakeholder engagement, transparency, and collaboration; urging participants to share insights and propose solutions that will make the reforms both effective and sustainable.
Delivering his welcome address earlier, Director Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for their presence and commitment to justice sector reform.
He noted that the meeting will offer a timely opportunity to evaluate the implementation of the Plea Bargain and District Prosecutor Schemes while identifying areas for improvement.
“These initiatives are central to ensuring access to justice, reducing case backlog, and enhancing prosecutorial efficiency. We are optimistic that today’s engagement will deepen collaboration and drive sustainable impact,” Dr. Martins stated.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Lagos State Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), Mrs. Ajibola Ijimakinwa reiterated RoLAC’s commitment to supporting justice sector reforms in line with international best practices.
She further recalled that under ROLAC Phase 1, a comprehensive plea bargain manual was developed, alongside extensive sensitization and training for prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges. Highlighting that about 200 applications were received this year with 170 successfully processed.
Ijimakinwa stressed that more still needs to be done to address issues of awareness, transparency, and stakeholder participation, also noting that the essence of the meeting was to review the current state of plea bargain, reflect on challenges, and develop practical recommendations for strengthening its implementation.
The various Panel discussions which addressed salient and veritable tools of both initiatives was moderated by Director, Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, while Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, Unilag, Prof. Akeem Bello facilitated the discourse on “Plea Bargain in the Dispensation of Criminal Justice in Lagos State.” In addition, Mr. Adebayo Haroun,SSA to the Attorney led the session on the “District Prosecutor Scheme”, providing further insight into the Ministry’s innovative approach to bringing justice closer to the people.
The event was well attended by dignitaries including Hon.Judges in Lagos both serving and retired, Judges and Permanent Secretaries from the South West States , Controller of Corrections, Law Enforcement Agencies, representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), FIDA, Legal Aid Council, Magistrates, Facilitators , Directors and counsel in the State Ministry of Justice.
The gathering provided a platform for robust dialogue, experience sharing, and the development of action points to guide the continued implementation of the Plea Bargain and District Prosecutors Scheme.
The Ministry reaffirmed its dedication to continuous engagement with stakeholders to ensure that justice in Lagos is timely, fair, and accessible.
