Lagos judges postpone cases for fear of shake-up –Investigation

[Mirror]

The expected shake-out in the judiciary has been identified as the reason behind the decision of some Lagos High Court judges to adjourn new suits before them to October.

Investigation showed that most of the suits are being adjourned to October ahead of the shake-up and transfer of judges in the state.

A source told our correspondent that the judges opted for this tactic in order not to begin cases they might not conclude.

Besides, the source said the diaries of most courtrooms had been filled till July, which marks the end of the legal year. Judges in the country, particularly in the state, usually proceed on vacation between July and August, while only a few judges would sit to handle ex-parte applications and other urgent matters that require prompt dispensation of justice.

The court calendar otherwise known as the legal year begins every September. Lawyers seeking adjournment in recent times are therefore compelled to pick dates from October to next year.

It was learnt that the cases re-assigned from various courts to new judges have also contributed to the heavy workload of judges in the criminal division of the courts.

The recent re-arraignment of former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Francis Atuche, over an alleged forgery, was one of the cases affected by the development.

The case was formerly before Justice Habeeb Abiru, now of the Court of the Appeal, but has been reassigned to Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Ikeja High Court. A few days ago, the latter adjourned the case till October 8, for commencement of trial.

Some oil marketers standing trial over subsidy fraud at the Ikeja High Court are also affected by the development.

The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Ubani, has expressed concern over the issue. Ubani, however, urged judges to make efforts to conclude suits pending regardless of whatever division they would be redeployed to. He said: "I am worried that most cases are adjourned to September.

I just want to appeal to those judges to try and conclude whatever pending matters before them irrespective of whatever division they are posted to."

National Mirror