Understand laws on crimes, Lagos CP enjoins officers

Lagos State Commissioner of Police Idowu Owohunwa has enjoined officers in the command to always understand laws against crimes for credible investigations and prosecutions.

Owohunwa gave the charge on Tuesday during a training for prosecutors and investigators drawn from different areas and divisions of the command in Lagos.

The training was organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), funded by the European Union and managed by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).

Owohunwa, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the state Criminal Investigation Dept (CID), Mr Waheed Ayillara, said that officers must read all the codes against each crime for them to be able to have successful investigation and prosecution.

He said that the purpose of the retraining was to update the officers so that they could deliver services optimally in line with the vision and mission of the Inspector-General of Police (IG).

“If you want to be a good investigator, prosecutor, you must understand and have the law of the case you are handling. Ask questions from your colleagues that understand better.

“You must not be a novice. Get all the relevant codes for crimes,” he challenged the officers.

The Coordinator of RoLAC in Lagos State, Mrs Ajibola Ijimakiwa, said that training was meant for 200 police personnel in the Lagos Police Command on effective investigation and prosecution.

Ijimakiwa said that the training was organised in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Prosecution in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and Lagos Police Command.

She said that the training would expose the officers to the new amendment in criminal justice system in Lagos.

The coordinator said that the officers were expected to improve in their investigations and prosecutions after the training.

“We expect improvement from the officers in the ways they investigate and prosecute cases before. Some of the things they have not been doing right before now, there should be a change,” she said.

The Director of DPP in Lagos, Mr Babajide Martins, said that the training was to ensure an effective administration of criminal justice system in Lagos State.

Martins said that the training would introduce modern ways of investigation and prosecution in courts.

The director said that the training would also expose the officers to the plea bargain, District Prosecutors and their duties.

He pointed out that through the District Prosecutors, many case files might not appear in court.

“The District Prosecutors have power to stop any case file appearing before the Magistrate.

“They are to go through case files and read through. If the case is a civil matter, such case should not be brought to court and be criminalised,” he said.