Stories by Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, has signed into law sentencing guidelines and practice direction for Judges in the FCT.
While receiving books from the office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) in his office, Bello said the sentencing guidelines will assist judges in handing down sentences to parties before them in criminal matters.
According to him, with the guidelines, an appeal on a case will no longer act as a stay to delay execution of judgements and orders of the court.
“UNODC has contributed immensely to the development of this court. Many come to the FCT High Court Judicial Resource Centre and are always fulfill when they go. Judges in this court deposit their judgements quarterly to the resource centre for anyone who wants to make research.
“The new sentencing guidelines will guide judges in sentencing parties that appear before them in criminal trial. Sentencing guideline and practice direction will be for the enforcement of judgements and orders. It will also guide the execution of the judgements and orders.
“Some appeals are deliberately filed to stop the execution of judgements. Some of the weaknesses in the execution of judgements and orders of this court have been addressed in these guidelines. Mere filing an appeal will no longer stop the execution of orders from FCT court,” he explained.
