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Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999

Preamble to the Constitution Section 1 – Supremacy of constitution Section 2 – The Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 3 – States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Section 4 – Legislative powers Section 5 – Executive powers Section 6 – Judicial powers Section 7 – Local government system Section 8 – New states and boundary adjustment, etc. Section 9 – Mode of altering provisions of the constitution Section 10 – Prohibition of State Religion Section 11 – Public order and public security Section 12 – Implementation of treaties Section 13-24 – Chapter II [Fundamental Objectives and directive Principles of State Policy] Section 25-32 – Chapter III [Citizenship] Section 33 – Right to life Section 34 – Right to dignity of human persons Section 35 – Right to personal liberty Section 36 – Right to fair hearing Section 37 – Right to private and family life Section 38 – Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion Section 39 – Right to freedom of expression and the press Section 40 – Right to peaceful assembly and association Section 41 – Right to freedom of movement Section 42 – Right to freedom from discrimination Section 43 – Right to acquire and own immovable property Section 44 – Compulsory acquisition of property Section 45 – Restriction on and derogation from fundamental human rights Section 46 – Special jurisdiction of High Court and Legal aid Section 47-51 [Part I – National Assembly (A – Composition and Staff of National Assembly)] Section 52-64 (B – Procedure for Summoning and Dissolution of National Assembly) Section 65-70 (C – Qualifications for Membership of National Assembly and Right of Attendance) Section 71-79 (D – Elections to National Assembly) Section 80-89 (E – Powers and Control over Public Funds) Section 90-93 [Part II – House of Assembly of a State (A – Composition and Staff of House of Assembly)] Section 94-105 (B – Procedure for Summoning and Dissolution of House of Assembly) Section 106-111 (C – Qualification for Membership of House of Assembly and Right of Attendance) Section 112-119 (D – Elections to a House of Assembly) Section 120-129 (E – Powers and control over Public Funds) Section 130-152 [Part I – Federal Executive (A – The President of the Federation)] Section 153-161 (B – Establishment of Certain Federal Executive Bodies) Section 162-168 (C – Public Revenue) Section 169-175 (D – The Public Service of the Federation) Section 176-196 [Part II – State Executive (A – The Governor of a State)] Section 197-205 (B – Establishment of Certain State Executive Bodies) Section 206-212 (C – The Public Service of State) Section 213 [Part III – Supplemental (A – National Population Census)] Section 214-216 (B – Nigeria Police Force) Section 217-220 (C – Armed Forces of the Federation) Section 221-229 (D – Political Parties) Section 230-236 [Part I – Federal Courts (A – The Supreme Court of Nigeria)] Section 237-248 (B – The Court of Appeal) Section 249-254 (C – The Federal High Court) Section 255-259 (D – The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) Section 260-264 (E – The Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) Section 265-269 (F – The Customary Court of appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) Section 270-274 [Part II – State Courts (A – High Court of a State)] Section 275-279 (B – Sharia Court of Appeal of a State) Section 280-284 (C – Customary Court of Appeal of a State) Section 285 [Part III – Election Tribunals] Section 286-296 [Part IV – Supplemental] Section 297-304 [Part I – Federal Capital Territory, Abuja] Section 305-308 [Part II – Miscellaneous Provisions] Section 309-317 [Part III – Transitional Provisions and Savings] Section 318-320 [Part IV – Interpretation, Citation and Commencement] First Schedule Second Schedule Third Schedule Fourth Schedule Fifth Schedule Sixth Schedule Seventh Schedule

Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution

Section 36 of the constitution of Nigeria is about Right to fair hearing of the people of the country. It is under Chapter IV (Fundamental Rights) of the constitution. Section 36 has twelve subsections.

  1. (1) In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination
    by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a
    reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to
    secure its independence and impartiality.

    (2) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this section, a law shall not be
    invalidated by reason only that it confers on any government or authority power to
    determine questions arising in the administration of a law that affects or may affect
    the civil rights and obligations of any person if such law –
    (a) provides for an opportunity for the persons
    whose rights and obligations may be affected to
    make representations to the administering
    authority before that authority makes the decision
    affecting that person; and
    (b) contains no provision making the
    determination of the administering authority final
    and conclusive.

    (3) The proceedings of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the
    matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of
    the decisions of the court or tribunal) shall be held in public.

    (4) Whenever any person is charged with a criminal offence, he shall, unless the
    charge is withdrawn, be entitled to a fair hearing in public within a reasonable time
    by a court or tribunal:
    Provided that –
    (a) a court or such a tribunal may exclude from
    its proceedings persons other than the parties
    thereto or their legal practitioners in the interest
    of defence, public safety, public order, public
    morality, the welfare of persons who have not
    attained the age of eighteen years, the protection
    of the private lives of the parties or to such extent
    as it may consider necessary by reason of special
    circumstances in which publicity would be
    contrary to the interests of justice;
    (b) if in any proceedings before a court or such a
    tribunal, a Minister of the Government of the
    Federation or a commissioner of the government
    of a State satisfies the court or tribunal that it
    would not be in the public interest for any matter
    to be publicly disclosed, the court or tribunal
    shall make arrangements for evidence relating to
    that matter to be heard in private and shall take
    such other action as may be necessary or
    expedient to prevent the disclosure of the matter.

    (5) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be
    innocent until he is proved guilty;
    Provided that nothing in this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the
    law imposes upon any such person the burden of proving particular facts.

    (6) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to –
    (a) be informed promptly in the language that he
    understands and in detail of the nature of the
    offence;
    (b) be given adequate time and facilities for the
    preparation of his defence;
    (c) defend himself in person or by legal
    practitioners of his own choice;
    (d) examine, in person or by his legal
    practitioners, the witnesses called by the
    prosecution before any court or tribunal and
    obtain the attendance and carry out the
    examination of witnesses to testify on his behalf
    before the court or tribunal on the same
    conditions as those applying to the witnesses
    called by the prosecution; and
    (e) have, without payment, the assistance of an
    interpreter if he cannot understand the language
    used at the trial of the offence.

    (7) When any person is tried for any criminal offence, the court or tribunal shall keep
    a record of the proceedings and the accused person or any persons authorised by him
    in that behalf shall be entitled to obtain copies of the judgement in the case within
    seven days of the conclusion of the case.

    (8) No person shall be held to be guilty of a criminal offence on account of any act or
    omission that did not, at the time it took place, constitute such an offence, and no
    penalty shall be imposed for any criminal offence heavier than the penalty in force at
    the time the offence was committed

    (9) No person who shows that he has been tried by any court of competent
    jurisdiction or tribunal for a criminal offence and either convicted or acquitted shall
    again be tried for that offence or for a criminal offence having the same ingredients as
    that offence save upon the order of a superior court.

    (10) No person who shows that he has been pardoned for a criminal offence shall again be tried for that offence.

    (11) No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give
    evidence at the trial.

    (12) Subject as otherwise provided by this Constitution, a person shall not be
    convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined and the penalty therefor
    is prescribed in a written law, and in this subsection, a written law refers to an Act of
    the National Assembly or a Law of a State, any subsidiary legislation or instrument
    under the provisions of a law.

Credit: https://publicofficialsfinancialdisclosure.worldbank.org/sites/fdl/files/assets/law-library-files/Nigeria_Constitution_1999_en.pdf

See also  Section 255-259 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999

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