LAGOS – Some prominent lawyers in Lagos on Sunday called for quick dispensation of justice in Lagos State in the 2014/2015 Legal Year.
The lawyers made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Mr Alex Mouka, the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos branch, said the Lagos State Judiciary had put various reforms in place to accelerate access to justice. [eap_ad_1] Mouka, however, noted that lawyers had pivotal roles to play in ensuring that such reforms achieved the desired objectives.
“The NBA has been sensitising lawyers on how to improve the justice sector.
“It has been told to abide by the ethics of the legal profession in their practices.
“So in this new legal year, we are a expecting more robust interaction between the Bench and the Bar to fast track justice delivery,” he added.
On his part, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, a former Chairman of the Ikeja branch of the NBA, said the judiciary must be more vibrant in the new legal year.
Ubani said: “we expect a vibrant judiciary where cases will be disposed of in a timely manner as well as the enthronement of justice and equity to every litigant irrespective of status or condition.’’
“Lawyers and other stakeholders must all brace up to ensure the respect of our laws and upliftment of due process in our legal system.”
Expressing the same views, another lawyer, Mr Yemi Omodele, said delay in justice administration could lead to anarchy in the society.
Omodele said, “whoever litigates expects the dispute to be resolved within a reasonable time.
“This is why it is imperative that there should be quicker dispensation of justice in Lagos State.”
In his expectations, Mr Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, the Director, Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative, an NGO, said priority should be given to criminal cases to reduce prison congestion.
“Verbatim recorders should be deployed in all courts and the issue of corruption in the judiciary should also be checked,” he added.
The new legal year will start on Sept. 22, with Church and Mosque services, the valedictory court session will hold on Sept. 23 and the programme will end on Sept. 26 with a dinner at the City Hall in Lagos. (NAN)
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