Attorney General Counsels Council On Prerogative Of Mercy

The Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of Kaduna state, Hajiya Aisha Dikko, has advised the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy to be diligent in its assignment and to evaluate each request thoroughly before making recommendations.

The commissioner who is also the Chair of the council, gave this advice at the end of the meeting of the of the council which held at the Sardauna Hall of the Ministry of Justice last Tuesday.

The chair also asked members to consider the victims and the enormity of the crimes that were committed by the convicts and not just the latter’s fulfilment of the conditions for the granting of mercy.

The Attorney General said that given the calibre of the members of the council, who are professionals from diverse backgrounds, she is optimistic that the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy will carry out its assignment with the required dedication.

Section 4.1 under the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy Working Guidelines stipulates the five approved sources of application for consideration, which include the Nigerian Correctional Service, the courts, government and Non Government Access to Justice Institutions, eminent private or public personalities, individual convicts or ex-convicts.

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According to the Working Guidelines, a written application should be submitted to His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna state, through the office of the Attorney General, by the applicant or representative, with two passport photographs of the applicant.

Section 4.2(b) states that for inmates convicted of capital offence, letters of undertaking from two immediate family members with evidence of the ability to rehabilitate the inmate after release, are required.

The document also requires applications to be accompanied by telephone numbers and addresses of family members or other guarantors and a psychiatric evaluation report by a government medical officer.

In addition, section 4.2(f) states that a report prepared by a custodial centre officer should be attached to the application for mercy, showing remorsefulness of the inmate.

According to the section, the report should state that the inmate has contributed positively to improve conditions in the prison and that he or she has learnt a trade and a copy of the skill acquisition programme should be attached.