COURT FAULTS AGF ON STATE AGS' POWER

BENIN - A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, yesterday, said  that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had no power to issue or give legal advice in a matter in which the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in any state of the federation had already given legal advice.

Trial judge, Justice Adamu Hobon, gave the ruling in the case by  Mr Akeke Enimijofa  on a letter written by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP,  of the federation  acting on the order of the AGF in respect of manslaughter/murder that occurred in Edo State.

Defendants in the suit are the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Attorney-General of the Federation and Attorney-General of Edo State, on a letter written by the Director of Public

Prosecution of the Federation.
The court held that  section 195(1) and 221(1) of the 1999 Constitution, clearly spelt out functions of the Attorney General of the state in respect of states offences just as section 174 (1) thereof for the Attorney- General of the Federation in respect of offences under the Act of the National Assembly.