Plea bargain, presidential pardon worsening justice dispensation in Nigeria, Chief Imam tells Judiciary 

The Oyo State Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansarud-Deen Society, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, (Elesin Meta), on Friday, deplored the policy of plea bargain and presidential pardon as part of the Nation’s judicial system, urging the Judiciary to scrap it.

He said this in his sermon during the 70th Anniversary and Law Week of the Ibadan Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), held at the Ansaru-Deen Mosque, Oke Ado, Ibadan, stating that the two legal systems rather than advancing justice dispensation, is further corrupting it and encouraging vices.

The Missioner while addressing the congregants led by the NBA Ibadan Branch Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lawal, on the theme: “Justice, Trust and Doing the Right Thing”, said  “justice is what is done right among human beings. God has made this compulsory. God commanded justice among leaders. Righteousness is to be added to worship to attain justice.”

“There should not be discrimination between the rich and the poor while dispensing justice or awarding punishment. Don’t favour one person against the other. If any Judge or lawyer does that, that is deceit (abosi). This brings my worry about the clause of plea bargain put in the law. It is not good for our judiciary.

“Someone is arrested for stealing very huge money, and you tell him that he is wicked. ‘This is too much now’. And then you ask him how much he can pay and go away with the rest. And he is free. They did another one recently. That is presidential pardon. Because you belong, ok, we will pardon you. Ah! This is horrible. There will be judgment in heaven. All this amounts to eating fire and swallowing it. On the day of judgment, there won’t be shoe; there won’t be clothing and everybody will be naked. A baby born in a day with black hair on his head, will grow grey hair immediately.

“With this presidential pardon, you are just encouraging unscrupulous people to grow more in their iniquities. Muslim Judges and lawyers should take heed to this because we are going to give account on the last day”, he pleaded.

The Chief Imam pleaded with business people “to be fair and not cheat. Husbands with more than one wife must do justice among them. Parents must ensure justice among their children. And there must be justice among humans, especially our politicians. If there is no injustice, Judges themselves  will rest and their dockets will be light”, after which he prayed fervently for the immediate ex- Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kayode Ariwoola.

Quoting from Chapter 4 verse 15 and Chapter 5 verse 35 of the Quran, the Chief Imam urged Nigerians to refrain from temptation of flesh to distract them.

“Don’t allow flesh to distract you because of hatred or misunderstanding. Don’t allow injustice between two warring people in inheritance, property acquisition. Allow justice between two litigants. You jurists and lawyers should be there to do justice and settle grievances. You are the ones to do this”, he said.