Kogi CJ  Warns Judicial Officers, Others against Corruption

Ibrahim Oyewale, Lokoja

Judicial officers in Kogi State have been warned to desist from granting frivolous adjournment in criminal cases and such cases should not be adjourned more than seven days.

Just as the other staff of the judiciary in the state have been told to shun all forms of corruption and acts inimical to the growth and development of the judicial system in Kogi State.

The Acting Chief Justice of Kogi State, Justice Josiah J. Majebi gave the charge while speaking at Ankpa Custodial Centre of Nigeria Correctional Service to mark the end decongestion tour of the Correctional Centres in Kogi State on Saturday.

Justice Majebi decried the delay in the administration of criminal justice, stressing that under no circumstances should cases whose the accused person has been detained be adjourned more than 7 days for whatever reasons.

He warned judicial officers that if the need arises to adjourn more than seven days, the magistrates or judges must write to inform the Director of Magistrate in their zone of the reason why it must be so.

The chief judge lamented that frivolous adjournments have always hampered the process of administration of criminal justice, stressing that “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

He commended Kogi State for recording a low crime rate, noting that the state judiciary has just applied only 40 per cent of laws of the administration of the Criminal Justice system.

He said: “I was very impressed that none of our correctional centres is congested at all. So we are happy about that. We want to thank the governor of the State, Governor Yahaya Bello for his understanding by putting in place logistics and facilities to ensure that the stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in the state are meeting regularly and constantly, there these issues would be discussed and what we have seen today would be sustained.”  

Justice Majebi noted that on the assumption of duty as acting chief judge of the state, he set up a committee on corruption headed by a High Court Judge adding that the management has sent out some telephone numbers to the public to report any act of corruption on the part of judges in the state and also created a suggestion box where people can submit their complaints.

He stated the box would check periodically to see who and who to be invited and for what and what offences.

On the allegation of aiding and abetting unnecessary delay in the administration of criminal justice by judiciary staff, Justice Majebi pointed out that this was the story of the past.

“The supervisors try as much as possible to oversee the affairs and to look at what and what they are doing, how they are doing it. And if they are doing well we commended and if they are not doing well we will scold them for that more.

But importantly we have also activated committees on appointment and performance evaluation of the lower court judges where quarterly they submit their activities.

“Now it is pertinent that magistrates and lower courts judges should submit not less than five judgments, so if any judges decide to delay his / her cases for three months after which he/she would be invited by the committee to show the reason why they should remain in bench. So if they are delaying cases is at their peril.

“This time around we have activated this quarterly meeting for the committee to submit its reports to the Registry of Kogi State Judicial Service Commission. The members will now sit to look at those who have performed very poorly. It is not just for punishment, but also for promotion too. This will allow us to know those who are working and those who are not working,” he stressed.

Earlier Justice Majebi rated the state judiciary very high, saying that Kogi State Judiciary could be ranked among the best in the administration of the criminal justice system in the country.

He pointed out that correctional centres in Kogi State have the least awaiting trial inmates, saying it was a result of synergy between the critical stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in the state.

Justice Majebi, however, lauded High Court’s judges, magistrates, Area Court’s judges, police, DSS and warders for excellent job in ensuring the smooth administration of criminal justice, which has decongested correctional centre’s custody in the Kogi State.

He warned the area court judges to be up and doing, noting that the present administration in Kogi State Judiciary would not condone any act of indiscipline from any judicial officers, not he will not hesitate to remove anyone found wanting.

Earlier, the officer in charge of Dekina Custodial Centre said that there seemed to be a usurpation of power by the police in connivance with the courts.

He stressed the practice of courts official conniving with the police to secure the bail of an accused person.

Omole added that the chief problem is the challenge of conveying inmates to courts noting that the only functional vehicle is the Toyota Hilux which is originally meant for escort, urging the authority to provide Green Maria.