Barr. Bello Abdulkadir Fanini
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Jigawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Bello Abdulkadir Fanini, has raised concern over recent court decisions striking out criminal cases and acquitting suspects, including those accused of rape and armed robbery.
Speaking in Dutse, Fanini revealed that within two weeks, three serious criminal cases were struck out and one suspect discharged and acquitted. He attributed the outcomes largely to prosecution challenges, such as the failure of key witnesses—particularly in a rape case involving a 14-year-old girl—to appear in court due to fear of stigma.
He also lamented that in armed robbery cases, suspects granted bail failed to appear for trial, and efforts to re-arrest them were unsuccessful before the five-adjournment deadline allowed under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJA).
Fanini questioned the judiciary’s handling of bail for high-risk suspects and emphasized that while bail is a right, it must be exercised judiciously.
In response, Governor Umar Namadi has set up an inter-agency committee led by the Chief Judge and Grand Khadi, with Fanini as a member, to review legal procedures and improve coordination between the judiciary, police, and prosecution. The committee has three weeks to submit its report.
Fanini also appealed to the public to stop stigmatizing rape victims, stressing that such attitudes discourage testimony and allow offenders to escape justice.