Katsina Shari’a Courts Record  71,961, Civil, Criminal Cases

Francis  Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, has disclosed that Shari’a courts in the state have recorded a total of 71,961 civil and criminal cases across the state in the last one year.

Abubakar, who disclosed this during the 2022/2023 new legal year, said out of the 71,961 cases, 46,750 were civil, while 25,211 are criminal cases.

The state Chief Judge explained that the courts had disposed of 28,329 cases within the period under review while the remaining 43,632 were still pending at different Shari’a courts in the state.

According to him, “The Shari’a courts, which are the grassroot and most patronised courts, registered a total of 71,961 cases comprising 46,750 civil and 25,211 criminal cases. Out of these, the courts have disposed of 28,329 cases with 43,632 Pending.”

He, however, said 11 High courts in the five judicial divisions registered a total of 2,392 first instance cases comprising 708 civil, 445 criminal cases and 755 motions, adding that 1,400 have been disposed of and 1,050 are pending. 

Justice Abubakar added that the appellate division of the High Court recorded 423 civil and criminal appeals from the lower courts and disposed of 282 appeals with 141 still pending.

He reiterated that the Magistrate courts registered 896 civil and 5,418 criminal cases totalling 6,314, saying of the total cases recorded, 4,176 have been disposed of and 2,138 cases are pending as at the period of the review.

Earlier, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Asma’u Muktar, said the Department of Public Prosecutions received 322 case dairies for legal advice within the period under review and treated 552 cases.

She stressed that the department has over 400 cases pending before various courts and obtained judgment in 40 cases before the High courts, “Most of which were convictions; the department also received and responded to 1,321 motions for bail.”

The state attorney general further added that, the Department of Civil Litigations received a total of 57 cases out of which 36 were disposed of with 21 pending before various courts.