Over 50,000 Cases Pending at Federal High Courts
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, yesterday disclosed that over 50,000 criminal and civil cases are still pending within the courts across the country.
Justice Auta stated this at the Federal High Court in Lokoja during the
special court session to mark the commencement of the court’s 2013/2014
legal year.
He attributed the delay in handling cases to the shortage of judges at the court and the inadequacy to fill the void of retired judges and those elevated to the Court of Appeal.
He attributed the delay in handling cases to the shortage of judges at the court and the inadequacy to fill the void of retired judges and those elevated to the Court of Appeal.
According to him, "As at September, the total number of cases carried
forward from 2012 is 74,126; about 30, 497 cases were filed while 64,270
cases were disposed, leaving a balance of 48,027 still pending in our
court."
The chief judge, who frowned on the development where justice is
delayed, said efforts were being made to ensure that cases were given
timely judgment to eliminate delay in court processes.
"In our efforts to ensure that we eliminate delays in the court, I have
issued a new ‘Practice Direction’ with regard to payment of penalty
fees for the late filling of processes. There is also a criminal
procedure to take care of offenses like rape, kidnapping,” he stressed.
Justice Auta also said efforts by the bench to ensure the comfort of
federal high court judges, to a large extend, had given rise to the
timely disposal of cases.
"I have continued in my efforts to ensure the comfort of our judges and
to a large extent, the staff of the court. These include provision of
durable vehicles, comfortable accommodation, medical care, conference,
workshops and seminar. The judges have to reciprocate these gestures by
timely disposing cases,” he said.He therefore appealed to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (JSC)
and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to support the federal high
court by ensuring that recruitment of judges into the court in this
legal year were given timely permission.
He also urged judges in the country to uphold the true value of the
judiciary in order to uphold the trust of the people in the legal
system.
"I urge all of us, judges of the court, to continue to conduct ourselves in accordance with the dictates and the ethics of our profession, bearing in mind that we, as judges, have the fate and even lives of the people in our hands and must not play with them.
"I urge all of us, judges of the court, to continue to conduct ourselves in accordance with the dictates and the ethics of our profession, bearing in mind that we, as judges, have the fate and even lives of the people in our hands and must not play with them.
"I must tell you that if we all continue to do our best according to
the dictates of the constitution and the law, we shall overcome. Yes, I
say we shall overcome all vicissitudes associated with the circumstances
of the time. “The federal high courts, the judges and very efficient staff will continue to be the cynosure of eyes
source thisday nigeria
No comments:
Post a Comment