A few years ago, someone I know reported a criminal offence to the police, believing, as any responsible citizen should, that reporting a crime was the first step towards justice. He expected the police to investigate, identify the offender and, where appropriate, prosecute. What he did not expect was the financial burden that followed.
At almost every stage, money was requested. Money to move the case forward. Money for transportation. Money for investigation. Money for other things that should ordinarily be part of policing. The demands became so persistent that the complainant eventually abandoned the case. The state, represented by the police, is known as the prosecutor of criminal cases.
The irony was painful: he had reported a crime committed against him, yet pursuing justice became another burden imposed on him. This raises a fundamental question: How expensive is justice in Nigeria, and who can afford it?
Justice is supposed to be one of the cheapest commodities in a democratic society – not because it has no cost, but because access to it should not depend on the size of one’s bank account, political connections or social status.
Yet for many Nigerians, the journey from reporting an offence to obtaining justice can be financially, emotionally and psychologically exhausting.
