The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba has directed courts in the state not to remand suspects in correctional facilities, except those charged with non-bailable offences.
Justice Alogba all courts handling criminal matters in the state to reject any police application seeking to remand suspects for bailable offences.
The CJ authorised courts to grant remand orders only in cases of of serious crimes such as terrorism, murder or armed robbery and other non-bailable offences.
Most of these offences carry the death penalty.
He gave the directive on Monday night in a statement signed by the Chief Registrar Mrs D. T. Olatokun.
He said the directive is in tandem with a recent statement of the Inspector-General of Police directing policemen not to detain suspects in their cells except in cases of these high crimes.
“The directive shall continue for an initial period of 14 days or until further directive is issued,” the CJ said.
Justice Alogba further ordered in another statement signed by Ms Olatokun that all criminal cases at Magistrates’ Courts should be handled at the headquarters of each magisterial division.
