Wetin I suppose know if dem dey carry me go Court, Tribunal or if I dey face panel?
If na you or any pesin around you dey court or tribunal or panel make you no forget wetin we wan yarn you now. Just dey read am below:
The matter dem suppose do openly make everybody see am
The matter suppose be one wey people fit come enter dey watch as dem dey take do am. If na for the one wey dem no sey make people no enter for security reason, judges dem no suppose go do hear mata and pass judgment for dem backyard or chambers.[1]
Every pesin na innocent
Pesin wey dem charge go court for any bad thing, na innocent the pesin for that period until court confirm sey na true e do bad and come convict am before anybody go fit call am criminal. If people or police dem dey call pesin criminal, the law sey na bad thing those people do and na mouth diarrhea dey worry dem.[2]
Dem must tell pesin the offence wey he don commit
If dem arrest pesin sey e don commit offence, dem must to tell am in language wey the pesin understand wetin dem talk sey he do. This one na constitution join am to Section 35 (3) of our constitution wey dey for arrest and detention mata. If dem no tell am the offence we e commit, na wrong thing dem dey do and the acusse fit use am against dem lattter. But if dem go tell am another offence wey the punishment no reach the real offence wey e commit, the law sey the mistake no be big thing.[3]
Dem must to give you time and everything wey you need to go defend himself
Pesin wey dem sey e don do bad thing suppose get time and everything wey e need to go defend himself. The kind time wey we dey talk here no be only the first day wey de matter reach court, the pesin suppose get adjournment when he suppose get am.[4]
Make ya no forget sey court no go dey gree adjournment wey no make sense.[5]
If you wan adjournment becos you wan bring ya witness come court, you go show court sey:
- The witness dey important for ya case
- No be you cause am as the pesin wey bring come no show before dat time
- You dey very sure sey fit bring the witness for the date wey you promise.
Right to choose lawyer wey you like to defend you or you wan defend yourself
No body suppose deny you your right to choose lawyer wey you want. No body suppose force a lawyer ontop you. And if you wan defend yaslef, na your right. [6]
You get right to ask questions from witness wey other people bring come against you
As pesin get right to bring witness to court and ask dem questions, na so e get right to ask question from witness wey others bring to testify against him. This one na constitution talk am and e dey very important.[7] If dem no gree make you ask witness question, any judgement wey dem give ontop the matter go fail.
Right wey sey make dem interprete wetin happen to pesin
If dem accuse pesin sey e don commit offence, dem suppose tell am sharp sharp for language wey he understand if e no sabi English or language of the court. The kind offence wey he don commit wey make dem charge am for court. If dem no do this, any judgment wey dem give against am go fail .[8]
If dem give am interpreter wey no dey competent, any judgement dem give against am go fail[9].
If dem come give am interpreter, he no suppose pay any money for the service at all.
If the persin no come sabi language when dem dey speak for court, he come dey there dey look like lukuluku and no talk am for court sey e no sabi the language, na the pesin sabi o because dem go see his complain later as minor thing[10].
Your right to mashonu (keep quiet)
You get right make you no talk anything at all o. This right na the constitutional give you.[11]
Make we talk am here sey if the offence wey dem charge you na big one like muder, armed robbery, e dey compulsory make you get lawyer o.
[1]S. 36 (4) of the 1999 Constitution
[2]Eyu Vs. The State (1988) 2 NWLR (pt. 78) 602. Okoro Vs The State (1988) 12 SCNJ 19. Uso Vs COP (1972) 11 SC 37. See the exceptions in SS. 141 (3)(b) & 142 of the Evidence Act. See the proviso to S. 36 (5) CFRN.
[3]Sections 36(6)(a), 179 (2) CPA; 218 (2) CPC; Maja Vs. The State (1980) 1 NCR 212, Nwachukwu Vs The State (1986) 4 SC 378.
[4]See Section 36 (6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, Udo Vs The State (1988) 3 NWLR (pt. 82) 316. See also Gokpa Vs. IGP (1961) 1 All NLR 423
[5]See Yanor Vs The State (1965) 1 All NLR 193; Shemfe Vs. COP (1962) NNLR 87.
[6]S 36 (6)(C) of the 1999 Constitution
[7]See Section 36 (6)(d) of the 1999 Constitution, Tulu Vs Bauchi N.A (1965) NMLR 343; Idrisu Vs. The State (1967) 1 All NLR 32.
[8] See Section 36 (6)(e) of the 1999 Constitution, Anyanwu Vs The State (2002) 13 NWLR (pt. 783) 107.
[9]Ajayi Vs Zaria N.A.(1964) NNLR 61.
[10]Udosen Vs. The State (2007) All FWLR (pt. 356) 669. See also The State Vs Gwonto (1983) 3 SC.67
[11]See– Sections. 36 (11) of the 1999 Constitution, 160 (a) of Evidence Act; 287 (1)(a) CPA; 236 (1)(a) CPC. See also Sugh Vs The State (1988) 2 NWLR (pt. 77) 475.
