2nd November, 2017
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, OPD, says it receives 502 cases of child defilement, rape, domestic violence and child abuse in the last nine months.
Director, OPD, Olubukola Salami disclosed this on Thursday at a news conference held in Surulere, Lagos, to intimate the public on the forthcoming training programme on Forensic Evidence and Expert Witness for 70 of its lawyers.
Salami, who said the training which would hold between 6 and 10, November at its office, was being organized by the OPD in collaboration with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, NITA, United States, disclosed that between January and September this year, 28 rape cases had been charged to court by the office.
She added that 223 cases of child defilement, 108 cases of domestic violence and 143 cases of child abuse were currently before the OPD, but noted that the office had not recorded any conviction in rape matters this year.
Salami said similar training was held last year in partnership with NITA, with 67 lawyers in attendance, adding that history was made when NITA came for the programme last year, being the first to be held in Nigeria and in the Africa.
“Without any doubt, this training programme, which is in line with the statute establishing OPD, will horn the skills of participating lawyers as advocates in the temple of justice, the training will also fulfill the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA continuous education programme.
“Again, this year, the American National Institute for Trial Advocacy has also agreed to make its faculty members available free of any financial charge, including travel expenses. OPD will be presenting 70 lawyers for training in this year’s programme with the theme: ‘Forensic Evidence and Expert Witness,” she said.
The OPD director explained that the theme was instructive because it was coming at a time when Lagos State recently opened the first ever high-powered DNA and Forensic Laboratory, known as the Lagos State DNA Forensics Centre.
“This forensic centre will definitely take criminal litigation in Lagos State to new heights. This year’s training programme of OPD will therefore be complementary to the noble effort of Lagos State Government. The training will horn the skills of lawyers in forensic practice,” she stated.
Salami also disclosed that 10 facilitators would be coming from NITA, along with nine other facilitators from the OPD to train the lawyers on the theme of the programme.