By AbdulRahman Obaje
The Chief Judge of Bauchi State, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, has warnned judicial officers against entertaining cases related to witchcraft, describing them as difficult to prove and lacking concrete evidence.
Umar gave the warning during a two-day review of awaiting trial cases at the Jama’are Maximum Correctional Centre.
Justice Umar emphasized that witchcraft allegations were often baseless and should not be taken seriously in court unless the accused confessed.
“If you are not a witch, you cannot know who is a witch. It is an issue that could hardly be established unless the witch confesses to be one,” she said.
She warned that allowing such cases into the judicial system could undermine the credibility of the courts and lead to wrongful convictions.
“Judicial officers must focus on cases with substantial evidence rather than entertain accusations that cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt,” she added.
Justice Umar also criticized the excessive fines imposed on convicts, particularly in cases where fines serve as alternatives to imprisonment.
She argued that imposing heavy financial penalties ranging from N100,000 to N300,000 could push convicts into reoffending in a desperate attempt to pay.
“Imposing such heavy compensation is unreasonable and may drive convicts back into crime. Judges must ensure that fines are proportional to the convict’s circumstances and that justice is tempered with mercy,” she said.
Justice Umar, as part of her justice review exercise, ordered the release of 18 awaiting trial inmates, some of whom had been in detention for over five years without trial.
She expressed concerns that many had been held without formal charges and urged them to adopt better behaviour and self-reliance skills upon their release.