The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, has expressed concerns about the lack of courtrooms for magistrates to conduct cases, among other constraints hindering effective justice delivery.
Justice Alogba made this statement during a session at the ongoing Justice Reform Summit in Lagos.
He emphasized that the administration of justice should be used to enhance economic growth, investment protection, and security in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
The two-day summit which has the theme “Enhancing the Administration of Justice for Economic Growth, Investment Protection and Security in Lagos State.” aims to recommend lawful ways and means to address delayed justice.
During the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, acknowledged the progress made in the justice sector while also recognizing the need for more work to be done by the government and other stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice.
Justice Alogba highlighted the plight of magistrates and judges, who are grappling with poor working conditions and inadequate welfare, as a concern that needs to be addressed to improve justice delivery.
He assured that proactive steps are being taken to resolve these difficulties and improve the overall welfare of judicial officers and court staff.
On his part, Lagos State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring access to justice.
He stressed that the administration of justice should contribute to economic growth, investment protection, and security in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.
He emphasized that in the event of a dispute, the investment should not be unnecessarily delayed by prolonged litigation.
During a keynote address, Mr. Gregory Vijayendran, a former President of the Law Society of the Republic of Singapore, shared insights on enhancing the administration of justice.
He underscored Singapore’s reliance on the rule of law and presented lessons that Lagos can learn from the island country and city-state.
Mr. Gregory emphasized the link between access to justice, the rule of law, and positive economic outcomes, citing facts and figures and stressing zero tolerance for corruption. He also highlighted the importance of a world-class judiciary, strong local legal talent, supplemented by global talent, and dispute-resolution institutions with strong governance.
Additionally, a participant, Mr Edward Akinlade, called for a reduction in the time frame of criminal and civil trials to ensure speedy dispensation of justice and address the issue of awaiting trial syndrome.
He emphasized the need for appropriate systems to track the trial time frame, as proposed by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
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