“Speeding up the Prosecution Process” is being piloted in the Enugu State Ministry of Justice. The duration of the various procedures once the police have completed their investigation has been identified as one of the significant causes of delay in the criminal justice process and a number of root causes of delays in this area were identified to include:

• • Lack of capacity of prosecutors, including training and written guidance on how to carry out their various duties (e.g. developing legal opinions, preparing cases for trial, etc).

 

• • The lack of adequate resources to enable the prosecution process to be completed efficiently and effectively. Specific issues include lack of equipment and facilities, transport to court and ancillary support such as for document production. The overly bureaucratic procedures in accessing work material, tools and other logistics were also noted.

 

• • Insufficient capacity to manage and monitor cases effectively in order to complete tasks in a timely manner. This includes under-utilization of the case management system (CMS) to track and manage cases.

 

• The absence of a systematic approach to enhance coordination, cooperation and communication between the ministry of justice and police investigators and prosecutors.