CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Lagos State government has now restricted its civil servants in the state from standing as surety for persons including their relations and friends facing trial in any court without clearance from the State.
This was disclosed by the office of the Head of Service, (HOS) in the State through a circular to that effect.
In the memo circulated at the various courts signed by the Head of public service, Mrs Olabowala Ademola sated as follows:
It has been observed with growing concern that officers in the Lagos State Public Service who stand surety in the Administration of Criminal Justice, (ACJ) Law of the State do not adhere to the guidelines as directed by the Government.
The memo stated that though the government recognize the right of public servants to stand as surety under the ACJ, but it must not be done in such a way to embrass the Government.
It reiterated the earlier decision of the government that any officer who wish to stand as surety must obtain clearance from the office of the head of service before such officer will do so.
P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the new emphasis might be connected to the recent happenings where public officers have practically turned to charge and bail in various courts.
It was observed that persons facing trials who were granted bail prefer to use public servants due to the conditions usually attached before a suspects will fulfill the bail condition.
According to litigants, the Magistrates and judges give bails which include tax payments and clearances as the case may be.
“It is the public servants that usually have such ready tax payments and clearance and they can be easily contacted to bring the papers for release of suspects” a litigant explained.
However, some officers who stood as surety to suspects have landed in trouble where the suspects jumped bail and they were arrested which the government was trying to avoid such embarrassment.
P.M.EXPRESS learnt that while the government’s decision was to restore sanity among public officers who seem to have turned the charge and bail as lucrative business and abuse it, however, it has other negative implication in the other hand to the people.
According a litigants, Mrs Maria Obiazo, the decision means that if an officers relations or friends are in custody, such officer will have to go to the HOS to obtain clearance which might take for some days before approval to the detriment of such suspect.
She suggested that the government should find another way to restrict their officers from abusing such right, adding that such decision was not in the best interest of the people who might be a victim.
P.M.EXPRESS could not get the response of the government on the new decision which seemed to be not acceptable to public officers in the State.