JUDICIARY
2023: Kwara Retiring Chief Judge Harps on Neutrality Election Matters
From Alfred Babs, Ilorin
Less than 52days to the general elections, Retiring Chief Judge of Kwara state, Justice Suleiman Kawu has warned the nation’s judges and lawyers to remain neutral and impartial in their decision on matters brought to the Court on election matters so as to stem the tide of blanket condemnation of judiciary as corrupt.
Speaking at the special session of the High Court to mark commencement of the 2022/2023 legal year and his retirement as the Chief Judge of the state in Ilorin on Wednesday, Kawu said that the legal practitioners must send a clear and strong message to the public that judges are not for or against any political party or politician.
“Let us all remind ourselves that we are once again approaching an election year when serious legal gymnastics will start to play out in our various courts and Judges will be called upon to decide delicate issues couched by Advocates in flowery legal garbs, with far reaching political consequences.
“As Judges we must stay out of the fray, remain neutral and impartial. We must send a clear and strong message to the public that Judges are not for or against any political party or politician and that when cases are brought before us, parties must convince the court, not that they have deep pockets or contacts but that their cause is lawful and just.
“As members of the legal profession, we must prove ourselves to be men and women of honour, integrity and discipline by strictly adhering to our Code of Conduct and Rules of professional ethics. Because the administration of justice is too important to democracy and indeed to the very existence of the society, the time has come for us now more than ever before to apply the
needed disciplinary measures against erring members in our midst without any regard for social, ethnic or religious considerations. This, in my view, is the road to take in order to justify our claim as members of the Honourable and Noble Profession and stem the tide of the now common and dangerous
blanket and wholesale condemnation of Judges and the Judiciary as corrupt.
“The enormity of the responsibility which the constitution and indeed the society place on Judges and Lawyers requires that we stand on a very high moral pedestal, for, according to the Roman Slave, Publius Syrus, “The greater a man is in power above others, the more he ought to excel them in virtue. “Anything short of this will erode the confidence of the people in the ability of our judicial system to uphold the rule of law and protect lives and properties.
“We must therefore be conscious of what verdict history will deliver on how we discharge our assigned responsibilities.”
Kawu, who said that a total number of 2,648 criminal and civil cases were filed and brought forward before the state High Court in the 2021/2022 legal year, added that 281 criminal cases were disposed of out of 420 criminal cases in the last legal year.
He also said that a total number of 834 civil cases were disposed of out of 2,228 civil cases brought before the high court last year.
A total number of both criminal and civil cases pending in the High Court was given as 1,533.
The retiring Chief Judge, who said that a total sum of N86,977,191:20k was generated as fines and fees from January to November 2022 by the state judiciary, added that the figure was almost triple of the amount generated in the last legal year and the highest in the history of the state judiciary.
He attributed the feat to steps taken to curb activities of touts and fraudters in the procurement and processing of affidavits, oaths and other judicial forms and the automation of the oaths registry.
Kawu also disclosed that 233 members of staff of the High Court, Sharia Court of Appeal and the Judicial Service Commission were promoted in 2022 by the state judicial service commission.
Also speaking, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state, Barrister Ibrahim Sulyman, commended the bar and bench for being partners in progress with the state government.
The attorney general also called for improved unity among members of the bar, saying that lawyers and judges should always practice what they preach.
Three men, Olufemi Faleti, 59, Ayoade Adewale 41 and Idowu Yusuf, 41, on Friday, were brought before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court Ibadan charged with breaking into a bank and stealing laptops.
The defendants,whose addresses were not provided, were charged with conspiracy, house breaking and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Elisha Tellang told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offences on March 24, at 7:30 p.
m, at First Bank, Asogo, Oyo.He alleged that the defendants broke into the bank and stole two laptops worth N800, 000.
Tellang said the offences contravened Sections 516, 413 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The Magistrate, Mrs Moyosore Atanda granted each defendant bail in the sum of N300,000 and with two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case until Sept. 8, for hearing. (NAN)
An Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun, on Friday, sentenced a 21-year-old ex-convict, Habeeb Jimoh, to two years imprisonment for stealing a Zealot speaker, Infinix mobile phone and other goods worth N595,000.
In her judgment, the Magistrate, Mrs O.
O.
Fadairo, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.Fadairo said that the prosecution counsel had proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of the charge preferred against him.
The convict, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. E. O. Adaraloye, told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 28, at about 3.
00 a.m. at Singer area, Ewupe in Sango-Ota.Adaraloye said that the security guard identified him after stealing a Zealot speaker, an Infinix phone and other items, worth N595,000, after which he fled.
According to him, the offence contravenes Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man, Emmanuel Chekwube, to seven years imprisonment for drug trafficking.
Justice Lewis Allagoa sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the four-count charge of drug trafficking.
Allagoa, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Chekwube on charges of conspiracy, illegal storage of restricted drug, unlawful use of premises to store banned narcotics and unlawful deal in narcotics.
He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Ms M.
I. Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court, such as: a statement of the defendant, a drug analysis form and packaging of substance form.Also tendered were: remnant of the narcotics, request for scientific aid form and transparent pouch, among others.
The prosecutor then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidences adduced.
Consequently, the judge convicted the defendant as charged.
Before the sentence, the defence had prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that as his client was a first time offender and that he would turn a new leaf.
Delivering his verdict afterwards, Allagoa sentenced Chekwube to seven years imprisonment on each count, which, he said, would run concurrently.
He, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
In the charge, the convict was said to have committed the offences on May 7 at Amukoko, Ijora area of Lagos.
He was said to have used the premises to engage in illegal storage of 56.2 kg Tramadol Hydrochloride, 1.2 kg Nitrazepam and 72g of Swinol
All the substances are said to have been listed in the NDLEA schedule as banned narcotics, thus contravening the provisions of Sections 12 and 14(b) of NDLEA Act, 2004. (NAN)
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