JUDICIARY
NBA Says Prolonged JUSUN Strike Affecting Justice System
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Anambra branch, says the prolonged nationwide strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) is affecting the justice system.Mr Kingsley Awuka, Chairman of the Committee of Chairmen of the eight branches of NBA in Anambra, made the assertion in a statement in Awka on Saturday.
The statement said that the decision of the Governors’ Forum to suspend discussion and engagement of JUSUN was uncharitable, unpatriotic and totally unacceptable. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JUSUN began a nationwide indefinite strike on Monday, April 6, 2021 over the non-implementation of judicial financial autonomy as enshrined in the Constitution. President Muhammadu Buhari had signed an Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the judiciary and State House of Assembly in May 2020, after several agitations.However, the gazetting of the order was suspended after Buhari met with governors, who later expressed concern over its constitutionality. It said: ‘The justice sector of our country is progressively sliding into the destructive dungeon with no hope in sight of its recovery.“ All the courts have been under lock key with many pending cases. Time and space will not permit us to enumerate the inexhaustible evil consequences of this ugly situation,”The committee urged the 36 states governors to commence the implementation of judicial financial autonomy in the country.“ We particularly urge Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra to ignore the decision of the Governors’ Forum and commence the implementation of judicial financial autonomy in the state.“ We also want to draw the attention of Gov. Obiano to the rot and dilapidating state of infrastructure in the Anambra State Judiciary. Many High Courts, where Judges sit, are in dire straits.“ It has now become a regular practice in many courts in the state for judges and lawyers to un-robe due to the unconducive state of the environment where they sit.” The statement said that the committee fully lends its support to the demands of JUSUN and shall sustain the support until the demands were met. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Remands Landlord for Alleged Defilement of Tenant’s Daughter
A family court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered the remand of one Musibau Lamidi, 50, for alleged defilement of his tenant’s six-year-old daughter.
The Magistrate, Mrs S. A . Adesina, ordered that the landlord should be kept at the Agodi custodial facility pending advice from Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Adesina did not take the landlord’s plea.
She adjourned the case until April 25 for mention.
Reports says that Musibau, a resident of Olode, Ibadan, was charged on one-count of defilement.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Gbemisola Adedeji, told the court that the defendant, on March 13, between 8. 00 a.
m. and 4.00 p.m. defiled his tenant’s daughter.Adedeji said that Musibau had an issue with the child’s mother and asked her to pack out.
The prosecutor said that when the woman went to look for a house to rent, the defendant defiled her daughter.
She said that the offence contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Right’s
Law of 2006. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
4 Friends Docked for Allegedly Threatening Cleric’s Life
Four friends were on Monday docked in a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly threatening the life of pastor Charles Gold.
The police charged Olatunji Musibau, 44;Abiodun Folarin, 50; Kazeem Oluremi, 60 and Yusuf Sodiq, 23, with conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence on March 8, at about 2 p.
m., at New Bodija Area in Ibadan.Amusan alleged that the defendants and others at large, threatened violence against pastor Gold, of Echo Evangelical Ministry Ibadan.
He said the offence contravened the probisions of sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Court President, Mrs Moji Aworemi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N150, 000 each and one surety each in like sum.
Aworemi held that the surety must be a blood relation to the defendants.
She adjourned the case until April 29, for mention. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
2 Teenagers in Court for Allegedly Stealing Sewing Machine
Two teenagers, Simor Aaron, 19, and Francis David, 18, were arraigned on Wednesday before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a sewing machine and other items worth N325,000.
The defendants, both residents of High-Cost Narayi, Kaduna, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 11, at Barnawa Kaduna.
According to Leo, the duo burgled a tailoring shop of one Gladys Peter and stole her sewing machine, six wrappers, and four clothing materials all valued at N325,000.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants were caught and handed over to the police by members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area.
Leo said that the offences contravened Sections 281 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017, which stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing and two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum, who must be gainfully employed.
Emmanuel adjourned the case until April 22, for hearing. (NAN)