The Edo State Government has announced that video-recorded confessions will now be compulsory for the prosecution of all fresh kidnapping and cultism cases before the state’s newly established Special Criminal Court.
The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Edo Ministry of Justice, Mr. Stephen Okoror, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Benin.
Okoror explained that the directive was issued by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa. He clarified that only new cases will be transferred to the Special Criminal Court, while matters already being heard in other courts will remain there until they are concluded.
“The Chief Judge has directed that if a case has already commenced in another court, there is no need to transfer it to the Special Criminal Court. Let them conclude it there. But fresh cases should be brought to the Special Criminal Court,” he stated.
According to the Solicitor-General, the government has specifically instructed that statements made by suspects in capital offences must be video-recorded before such cases can proceed at the Special Criminal Court. Without a proper video recording of a suspect’s confession, the case will not be taken before the specialised court.
“The instruction is specific. If we do not have a video recording of a suspect’s statement admitting to an offence such as kidnapping, we will not take the case to the Special Criminal Court. This is because without such evidence, there is a possibility of acquittal in regular courts,” Okoror said.
He emphasised that video-recorded confessions are critical to securing convictions, noting that properly obtained recordings can serve as powerful evidence. “If a suspect confesses on camera, and the recording is done in accordance with the law, conviction becomes easier. Recording does not lie. The video speaks for itself,” he added.
Okoror further stated that a family member, lawyer, or civil society representative must be present during the recording process, and suspects will be free to admit or deny the allegations on camera.
Citing a recent example, he referred to the prosecution of a kidnap gang linked to the theft and repainting of a red Lexus Jeep. Investigations showed that the vehicle was taken to a bush camp, dismantled, and re-sprayed. The owner later identified both the vehicle and its interior features. Police investigations led to the arrest of a suspect who confessed on camera and implicated other members of the gang.
The Solicitor-General also clarified that defendants charged with capital offences must still enter the dock and testify in court even when they plead guilty, as the law does not allow the court to rely solely on a guilty plea in cases that attract the death penalty.
Providing an update on the trial of four defendants accused of kidnapping a woman at the Airport Road Vegetable Market, Okoror said the defence had opened its case before Justice Terry Momodu of the Special Criminal Court. The matter has been adjourned until August 5 for continuation of cross-examination.
These measures, according to Okoror, are designed to ensure speedy and credible prosecution of kidnappers and cultists while safeguarding the rights of suspects and reducing the risk of wrongful convictions.
