2-year remand before trial unjust, says CJ

 Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh says lengthy remand effectively punishes an accused before a verdict is delivered.

Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said the government has agreed to set up a Judicial Academy dedicated exclusively to continuous, rigorous training of superior court judges.

JOHOR BARU:

Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh has voiced concerns over some accused persons having to wait for more than two years under remand before their cases are heard in court.

Among all the categories of delayed cases before the courts, he said the ones that weighed most heavily on his mind were criminal cases.

“This is because, at the heart of every criminal case, is the liberty of a human being. It is fundamentally unjust that an accused person should wait in remand for more than two years before the matter is heard,” he said in a speech at a recent Johor Bar dinner.

Wan Ahmad Farid said the court’s delay effectively punished these accused persons before any verdict is delivered, adding that this must not continue.

Last month, Sinar Harian reported that an Orang Asli man charged with murder was freed after spending nine years under remand, with his trial still at the prosecution stage.

Similarly, in June, the Kota Bharu High Court freed a lorry driver who had been remanded for more than four years over a drug case.

Wan Ahmad Farid thanked the Attorney-General’s Chambers for reviewing and responding positively to representations made by solicitors for accused persons.

“I am made to understand that this has resulted in a reduction of charges, reducing the court’s burden by saving judicial time,” he added.

Judicial Academy in pipeline

Separately, the chief justice said the government has agreed to set up a Judicial Academy dedicated exclusively to continuous, rigorous training of superior court judges.

“Through this academy, our judges will be constantly challenged, upskilled and exposed to global best practices comparable only to the best judiciaries in the world. We are eliminating the old trial-and-error approach to judicial wisdom.

“We are ensuring that when a judge sits on the bench, they possess the deep, specialised acumen required to command the respect of the room.

“We are refining the bench, ensuring that our part of the equation is handled with precision,” he said. - FMT