Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) has revealed that sexual offences and related matters top criminal cases in the state.A quarterly report of LCIS disclosed that 56 miscellaneous cases (stealing-related offences), 95 sex offences, 79 robbery cases, 48 fatal motor accidents, and 35 homicide cases were received between June and September 2018.
The report also stated that with respect to inmates charged for domestic and sexual offences, defilement took the lion share with 57 per cent, sodomy 22 per cent, and rape 18 per cent.
LCIS, which serves as the databank of all prison inmates in the state and administered through the office of the attorney-general and commissioner for justice, in the report of activities between June and September 2018, also indicates that the five federal prisons in the state were overstretched with about 5,000 inmates.
The attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), stated: “The Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Directorate of Public Prosecution, received a total of 320 police duplicate case files and advice has been issued for 313 representing 97 per cent, while seven, representing three per cent, of cases received are pending.”
The report further revealed that the five federal prisons in the state built for 4,087 inmates now house 9,303, while the total inmates enrolled on the LCIS system with complete records including biometrics and photographs as at September 30, 2018 was 12,439.
“In the period under review, reports indicate that the federal prison facilities in Lagos are overstretched, while the state government through the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy and the Judiciary are working with the state ministry of justice to get list of inmates with minor offences for possible consideration,” the LCIS report said.
According to the report, there are 48 inmates with minor offences in the awaiting trial list for three years and above, as well as 72 juvenile inmates, 15 of which are below 14 years, and 57 between ages 15 and 17.“There has been improvement of legal representation of inmates facing trial. In the last quarter report, 82 per cent of the inmates facing trial did not have legal representation, while in this quarter, that percentage has reduced to 43,” the report added.
