By Sandra Umeh
Lagos – Some Lagos based lawyers on Friday urged judges to discourage frivolous applications geared at disrupting the justice process, in a bid to enhance justice delivery.
The lawyers told The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attitude of some lawyers, who bring frivolous motions to court, was responsible for the delay in proceedings.
They urged judicial officers to refuse such applications and encourage speedy trial and justice delivery.
A Lagos based lawyer and rights activist, Chief Odeh Ola said that frivolous applications acted as a clog to speedy justice delivery in cases.
According to him, the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws, encourages speedy trial and discourages unnecessary adjournments.
He added that the same must be adhered to by judges.
“Judges and magistrates must seek to halt the filing of frivolous applications aimed at delaying trials and deserving cases, sanctions should be meted out on lawyers who engaged in such practices,” he said.
Ola, therefore, urged all judicial officers to promote the cause of justice by refusing such applications.
In the same vein, another lawyer and social critic, Mr Ogedi Ogu described the situation as most annoying, especially in criminal cases, where prosecutors were not diligent.
He noted that the manner in which some prosecutors undertook criminal cases was one that called for serious redress.
“The issue of delays in criminal trials is even worse with some prosecutors coming to court to seek unnecessary adjournments in criminal matters, especially where the accused have not be admitted to bail.
According to him, this lack of diligence in prosecution is also a key factor responsible for overcrowding in prisons.
He, therefore, urged the courts to seriously discourage any application which it considers as clogging the wheels of justice.
A constitutional lawyer, Mr Spurgeon Ataene said that delays in criminal proceedings were a major setback for the justice system.
According to him, some lawyers who undertake representation of accused persons even engage in the habit of frustrating criminal trial by raising jurisdictional issues and seeking a transfer of the cases.
He argued that this was a major ploy by some lawyers to further prolong such cases in court.
He noted that there was the need to address the activities of such lawyers, adding that judges and magistrates must be firm in the discharge of their duties.