APPLICATION OF PLEA BARGAINS IN CRIMINAL TRIAL NIGERIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Abstract

Plea bargain, also known as plea agreement or plea deal, is an agreement in criminal law proceedings,
whereby the prosecutor provides a concession to the defendant in exchange for a plea of guilt. In this
procedure, the defendant pleads guilty to a less serious charge in return for the dismissal of other
charges or for a more lenient sentence. Despite the positive aspects of plea-bargaining, there are
numerous problems that are associated with its implementation. This paper examines the impact of
plea bargaining on the criminal justice system in Nigeria. It begins by exploring the concept of plea
bargaining, followed by an analysis of the history and implementation of plea bargaining in Nigeria.
It then moves to an assessment of the positive and negative aspects of plea-bargaining in Nigeria, to
provide an insight into its effects. The paper adopts a doctrinal research approach using primary
sources of information gathering to discuss the concept of Plea Bargaining and its effects on the
administration of criminal justice in Nigeria. The paper concludes with a discussion of the
implications of the practice and the need for further research into the effects of plea bargaining in
Nigeria

Keywords: Criminal Justice, Plea-bargain, Prosecution, Defendant, Sentence