Jungle justice a lawless tradition
ASA
Jungle justice is actually a form of public extra judicial killing that is common in Nigeria settings. It is a senerio where in many occasions in Nigeria an alleged criminals were burn, acutely beaten or killed without police consent or judicial intervention.
Many of us might have seen such videos online and some might have an encounter with such ugly incident. The most popular one is to assemble to the place the alleged is caught, get petrol and drench the alleged , light matches and set the alleged on fire like roasted chicken.
Meanwhile, the alleged offences are mostly theft, kidnapping, rape and the most hilarious is witch, which they are often stone to death. The witch senerio amaze me alot and I wonder how they all came to conclusion about it.
At times the alleges are often innocent of the offenses. I was at the front of my house one faithful day. I saw a man on an Okada that eagerly drop a small boy at the front of a woman shop. The woman screamed “gbomo gbomo” meaning kidnapper and people began the chase, ready for street justice as usual. I sought to find out that man and wom
an had differences at home and man who absconded is an in-law to the woman. Thank God he flee.
Perhaps, can it be because the mob does not have confident enough in the judicial system. Many assume that many kidnapper have support of those in government and if handed over to the police, they might have their way out.
Credit to a Nigerian born musician African Shina that ones sang “if poor man still Maggi we go see his face for crime fighter and if rich man still money we no go see his face for Crime fighter” in one of his lyrics. Crime Fighter is a weekly program on Nigeria local station that exposes criminal face to the world.
Meanwhile, handling the alleges to the appropriate quarters is the best thing to do and only thing to do. We have seen many instances where mob won’t release the alleged to the police. The kidnappers Den at Zik house Ikeja, Kidnapper den on Ijaye, Abeokuta express way, which was barely a week before the later mentioned and many more.
The hidden fact is that the practice is criminal. Many did not know, or probably they see jungle justice has the tradition from the time immorial.
Obviously, the law enforcement agencies most especially the Police and the judicial system have lost their credibility for corruption.
Infant today, many boast and post online to show that they one of those that put laws in to their hand. Neither the police nor the judiciary will denied they haven’t come across such videos.
It is high time we stop such barbaric act. The judicial system is established only for that function.
In accordance with Nigeria Constitution, Section 36 itself stands on two principles : i. *Audi alteram partem* – hear the other party. This doesn’t happen in the case of jungle justice. And even if it does, the people asking questions are not a court of competent jurisdiction
ii. *Nemo judex in causa sua* – no one can be a judge in his own case. Imagine I’m accused of murdering a Judge’s wife, it would be wrong for that same judge to sit on my case to avoid bias. He can only be a witness for the prosecution. Also, in relation to jungle justice, the people who claim the “thief” stole their property, or the “kidnapper” kidnapped their kids, are also the same people who judge their own case and prescribe the punishment to be meted out to the “criminal”, and in many cases, this usually involves death.
The jungle justice the two condition are not considered. The alleged is not give fair hearing and at the same time the mob are judging their own case,which should be done by an independent body. Judiciary saddle with the responsibility.
Meanwhile, jungle justice offenders can get a life time jail from it.
Although, the law enforcement agencies involved and the judiciary has the chief agent involved in this fight have lose their credibility to corruption.
Street justice in this age must be discouraged and government must be on their feet to counter this extra judicial killing, lynching and humiliation .
The judiciary must be fair enough to the elite and to the oppressed.
Justice cannot be said to be served in system that allows minor criminals rot in jail and free the free the big criminals.
Mob also needs to know the consequences of this atrocities jungle justice. Putting laws into your hands.
Although, their is a popular aphorism that says ” ignorance is not an excuse in the law court. However, to before harm is to before warned. Jungle justice a lawless tradition
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