NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag Judiciary

Judiciary

Police arraigns 70-yrs-old in court for alleged defiling of minor

NAN-H-56
Sexagenarian
Lagos, Jan. 17, 2018 (NAN) A 70-year-old man, Ilesanmi Akamo, was on Wednesday brought before an Ebute Meta chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly having sexual intercourse with an 8-year-old girl.

The accused had appeared before the court on a charge for having carnal knowledge with a minor.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin, the prosecutor insisted that the accused had committed the offence on Jan. 14, at 4.00 p.m., inside LASTMA compound at Iponri.

She alleged that the sexagenarian had forcefully lured and had sex with the minor.

The offence she noted contravened Section 135(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias admitted the accused to a bail of N200,000 with one surety in like sum who must show proof of evidence of tax payment to the state government.

The case has been adjourned until Jan. 31 for mention. (NAN)
OAT/ENN/IS
==========
Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Ismail Abdulaziz

Judiciary

Time to open new page in anti-graft fight, says Osinbajo

NAN-H-68
Graft
By Donald Ugwu
Abuja, Oct. 25, 2017(NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday declared that the anti-corruption fight in the country must take a new turn for it to succeed.

Osinbajo stated this at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for justices and judges, organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

He said that the administration was reviving the entire anti-corruption system for speedy dispensation of justice.

Cue-in audio

“We are re-jigging the entire system; the Chief Justice of the Federation has laid down the rules and he has encouraged everyone to follow suit.

“There is no question at all that this is the time for us to open a new page in the entire anti-corruption fight.’’

Cue-out audio

The Vice President, who expressed joy that the judiciary was on board, assured of the executive’s support in ensuring effective investigation of cases and speedy dispensation of justice.

According to him; “this is a collaborative venture of all, and the executive, judiciary and legislature must see this as a fight for the soul of our nation.’’

Osinbajo hailed the CJNs new initiatives and the practice directions issued by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal in the Administration of Justice Act.

He further commended the recent Supreme Court decision which stopped the dilatory tactics of staying proceedings in criminal cases on account of interlocutory applications.

Osinbajo observed that all the nations that succeeded in winning the war against graft had to change their administration of justice system as well as the methods of investigation and trial of corruption cases.

“Investigations must be conducted properly and thoroughly, not on the pages of newspapers, but before cases go to court, so that when such cases reach the court; what is presented will be the best possible case that the prosecution can present.

“Most of the countries that have successfully dealt with corruption have had to dispense with needless technicality and focused on the offence.

“In the case of public officers, they recognise that there can be no real explanation for a public officer whose pay is public knowledge to have cash and assets several times more than his earnings, let alone his savings.

“If somebody earns in excess of what he should possibly even save in several lifetime, freeing him technically can never make sense, it will always seem that something has gone wrong with the system,’’ he stated.

The Vice President also noted that most countries recognised that even the whole process of decision making must make sense“ otherwise it would undermine the very fundamentals of judiciary and justice.’’

“If the fundament of justice is undermined, everything is undermined,’’ he said.

According to Osinbajo, the misery and loss of lives on account of corruption far exceeds that of any other single crime, adding “if you look at the extent of damage caused by corruption it surely is a crime against humanity”.

He noted that “impunity seems magnified when trial of alleged perpetrators of corruption never seems to end.

“And that such individuals can afford the best legal assistance only deepens the course of hopelessness that the corrupt will never be punished.’’

The Vice President noted that the Boko Haram insurgency also escalated because of the diversion of funds meant to prosecute the war.

He added that the reason the country did not build any new infrastructure in the last six years in spite of the huge oil revenue was because of corruption by government officials.

“Corruption threatens our security, health, education and even our corporate existence’’ he said adding that it was the reason that Garvey, a global health fund for vaccine provision in developing countries, withdrew support for Nigeria for alleged mismanagement of funds between 2011 and 2013.

He stated that the country had to refund $2.2 million adding that the drugs were meant to fight HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria amongst the poor.

He said that a lot of funds in the hands of the corrupt were used to subvert justice, bribe government officials, judicial officers, media and subvert legislature. (NAN)
DCU/DOR/IS
===========
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Health

Children’s Day: FIDA wants Judiciary, security agencies enforce laws

Children’s Day: FIDA wants Judiciary, security agencies enforce laws

NAN-H-16

Laws

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

Abuja, May 27, 2017 (NAN) The International Federal of Women Lawyers (FIDA) on Saturday called on the Judiciary and security agencies to enforce the implementation of laws protecting children in the country.

Mrs Inime Aguma, the Country Vice President of the association, made the appeal in a statement to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day in Abuja.

According to her, the Federal and State governments needs to look into the rights of children with the view to addressing the issues.

“Nigeria has enacted the Child Rights Act, 2003. We call upon those states that are yet to enact state Laws in line with this Act to do so.

“Those states that have Laws protecting Child Rights Act in place must ensure effective implementation.

“It is necessary as a country, signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, 1999, to ensure that the rights and welfare of our children,” she said.

Aguma said the event was to reflect on children’s education, growth, development, welfare, health and other issues affecting the Nigerian child.

She said the association had a mandate to promote, protect and preserve the rights and welfare of children in the country.

Aguma said the day was to re-examine if adults, parents, guardians and counsellors had played their role to ensure the wellbeing of the children.

“Reports from FIDA branches, partners and stakeholders and media across the country show that Nigerian children are still lagging behind in terms of having their basic needs met and their fundamental rights respected.

“In the northern part of Nigeria, a lot of children are out of school as a result of insecurity issues that ravaged the region.

“Many other children suffer from diseases such as malnutrition, meningitis, cholera, HIV, etc, as a result of poor health care,” she said.

Aguma said reports had shown greater number of children suffer sexual violence, abuse, domestic violence and torture on daily basis, while some are victims of human trafficking.

“As adults, parent and guardians, it is our duty to ensure that the children’s right are protected.

“We must increase our advocacy and awareness on the importance of respecting the rights of children.”

She called on members, partners and stakeholders to continue educating and sensitising the public on the Child Rights Act, 2003 and the VAPP Act 2015. (NAN)

OEO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Adamawa Judiciary sacks 2 Magistrates, demotes one

Adamawa Judiciary sacks 2 Magistrates, demotes one

NAN-H-16

Judiciary

Yola, Jan. 25, 2017 (NAN) The Adamawa Judiciary Service Commission has announced the sacking of two magistrates and the demotion of another official.

The government announced the disciplinary action in a statement issued by Ms Susana Elam, the Secretary of the commission, on Wednesday in Yola.

Elam said that the action took immediate effect.

The scribe explained that the measures were adopted at the commission’s 167th meeting held on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

She confirmed that the meeting also adopted the demotion of one staff member.

“The Commission during its special meeting also approved the appointments of fifteen Senior Magistrates’ Grade II,” Elam said.

She gave the names of the affected officers as Messrs Abdurrazak Abdullahi and Yohanna Kake, while Mr Hussaini Musa was demoted.

However, she did not reveal the reasons for the disciplinary action or the offences of the personnel. (NAN)

AMA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Judiciary

Audio Attached: Lawyer advocates speedy dispensation of justice

NAN-H-83
Justice
By Magdalene Ukuedojor
Abuja, Jan. 18, 2017 (NAN) A lawyer, Mr Joseph Nwabufo, on Wednesday urged the judiciary to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in their various courts of jurisdiction.

 

Nwabufo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

 

The lawyer decried a situation where lingering court processes delayed the administration of justice.

 

Cue in audio

 

“The most important development I want to see in the judiciary is speedy dispensation of justice; speedy handling of cases.

 

“You will be surprised to know that right now I have a matter I have been handling that has been going on in the court for about six, seven years.

 

“There are some that by the time you take one witness it takes you up to maybe nine months before another witness is heard.

 

“At a point people get tired and kind of lose faith; get lazy about coming to court.

 

“So speedy dispensation of justice is very important because it restores confidence in the people; it makes you want to come to court.

 

“How do you come to court when it takes you about five or six years to ventilate your feelings and get an answer from the court.’’

 

Cue out audio (NAN)

 

MUK/LAB/YEE

Edited by Lydia Beshel/Emmanuel Yashim

===============================

Judiciary

Ex-AG advocates national emergency on Judiciary

Ex-AG advocates national emergency on Judiciary

NAN-H-33
Judges
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, Jan. 3, 2017 (NAN) The former Attorney-General of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has advocated for the declaration of a national emergency to cleanse the Judiciary of erring judges.

Musdapher made the call while speaking at an Administration of Justice Summit organised by the Jigawa branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday in Dutse.

“We must declare a national emergency to root-out and punish erring judges no matter where they are found,” Musdapher said.

Musdapher, who was the Chairman of the occasion, added that he had previously advocated the need to establish an independent agency that would be responsible for judicial discipline and enforcement of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers.

“I have previously advocated the need to establish an independent agency responsible for judicial discipline, removal and enforcement of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers.

“I strongly believe that self-regulation via the National Judicial Council has not been effective in overturning the rising tide of judicial malfeasance.

“And as such, it has become necessary to consider the merits of creating a separate institution to specifically deal with complaints, petitions, discipline and removal of judicial officers,” he added.

According to him, several commonwealth countries have such specialised institutions, specifically responsible for judicial discipline and removal.

“Therefore, considering the urgent need to obliterate the plague of judicial corruption and misconduct, a truly independent institution with the necessary safeguards to forestall the risk of eroding judicial independence must be seriously considered as a matter of urgency,” the former attorney general stressed.

In his keynote address, Justice Abdu Aboki, the Presiding Justice of the High Court, Abuja Judicial Council, said that the conduct, behaviour and utterances of a Judge are public property.

“The conduct of the judge, his behaviour and utterances are public property. Because of the central position he occupies in the judicial process, the Judge himself is on trial.

“And so, he must, like Caesar’s wife of Roman fame and reputation, live above board to the sight and consumption of the litigating public and beyond,” Aboki said.

The summit has the theme: “Towards Ensuring Efficient Administration of Justice in Nigeria: The Role of Stakeholders”. (NAN)

MNB/OIF/MST

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola