JUDICIARY
Paul Harris, Alubo, Others Sworn-in as SANs
Thirty Eight legal luminaries among them, an Abuja-based lawyer, Paul Harris Ogbole and Professor Alubo of the University of Jos were on Monday administered to the revered rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN).
The ceremony held in the Supreme Court also coincided with the commencement of the 2019-2020 legal year.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad in a speech at the occasion said the Nigerian judiciary would take decisions and conduct its affairs independently without any extraneous influence.
“At the Supreme Court, we are totally independent in the way we conduct our affairs, especially in our judgments, and we don’t pander to any body’s whims and caprices.
“The only deity to be feared is the Almighty God. We will never be subservient to anybody, no matter his position in the society,’’ he said.
Also, Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice in his speech said that the new legal year should be used to reflect on the achievements and limitations of the last legal year.
“It should be a time to draw up modalities on how best to foster the desired growth in our Judicial System, and affords the Bench and the Bar the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment towards upholding the canons of the rule of law by adherence and devoted practice of law and justice.
“This practice will go a long way to reinforce the commitment of the Judiciary in sustaining our democracy and in fostering the judiciary as the last hope of the common man’’.
Malami said his address should serve as a clarion call on the Court of Appeal and to the apex Court to be courageous in delivering landmark decisions in favour of justice, equity and fairness.
“The court should not be seen to bow to the pressures of different political actors, being the last hope of every litigant: irrespective of any irregularity that might have occurred in the course of dispensing justice by different election tribunals.
“It is important that this court as a final arbiter remains just and resolute in resolving all issues presented before it”.
He said in a deep reflection of the last legal year, it is worthy of note that administration of justice received boosts in the areas of Anti-Corruption Policy Drive.
“The drive successfully introduced zero tolerance to corrupt practices, and entrenched integrity and ethical conduct in the task of governance.
“Its federal government whistleblowing policy has yielded several Billions of Naira recovered from tax evaders and public officials.
“It has also led to the signing/ratification of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) that ensures transparency, accountability and the Promulgation of Executive Order 8 which is the Voluntary Offshore Regularization Scheme (VOARS).
Paul Usoro, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) while speaking, said that some members of the inner bar sometimes forget that the rank of SAN was best worn with humility.
“Humility in general terms exalts a person; it stands you out and elevates you, it is the humility in you that will oil your words and speeches in a way that makes them soothing and respectful to everyone.
“It is the humility in you that would persuade you to share your deserved front-row seats with members of the outer bar who are not entitled to the front row seats as of right when you are in court: but who are unfortunately consigned to stand in a crowded and sometimes, stuffy courtroom because all seats are occupied”.
He said that it is no longer news that some law enforcement agencies seem to derive sadistic pleasure in locking up lawyers and imposing impossible bail conditions for their release.
“The practice of law has consequently become very dangerous and risky, it is now being criminalised by these agencies, all in an effort to demonise and humiliate lawyers and the legal profession,” he said.(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)