Lawyers make case for regular training of judicial officers
NAN-H-71
Lawyers
By Magdalene Ukuedojor
Abuja, February 10, 2017 (NAN) A cross section of lawyers in the FCT have reiterated the need for intense capacity building for all judicial personnel in order to boost justice delivery.
The lawyers spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
While some advocated training for bailiffs, others said clerks and registrars needed to be trained on modern techniques of serving and recording court processes.
They decried the situation where their processes were not duly served, thereby prolonging their cases in court.
Mr Shola Egbeyinka, a legal practitioner with Falana and Falana Chambers, Abuja, said lawyers would appreciate their cases being assigned quickly instead of the prolonged time it took to begin cases.
“Lawyers do file cases in court on behalf of their clients and sometimes it will take two to three months before some cases will be assigned; all these should stop.
“Heads of courts should ensure that competent people man these positions so that cases filed in court should be assigned within a period of one week.
“It will reduce delays and enhance the work of the judiciary,’’ he said.
Sharing similar views, Mrs Chioma Isolo, another lawyer said mix up of dates for certain matters needed to be given adequate attention in courts.
“It is common to see cases called in court where the lawyers, claimants and defendants are not in court, they were not duly informed or the dates were mixed up, all these delay justice for those seeking it.
“Bailiffs of the court, that is those who serve court processes, court letters and other correspondences, should be up and doing.
“If possible, they should go for more training in this respect so that you don’t file your processes and after two months these processes are dumped there.
“Once these processes are filed, lawyers do what should be done by giving them the necessary fees for service, then the job should be done,’’ she said.
The lawyers further called on judges to avail themselves of modern techniques and observe international best practices in handling cases and in the delivery of judgments.
Mr Ibrahim Nuhu, a legal practitioner, noted that conflicting judgments on similar cases were an embarrassment to the judiciary.
“All judicial personnel including judges need capacity building on a regular basis, there are new laws, new conventions, they need to be abreast of these.
“In Nigeria, you will hear judges sitting on a similar matter deliver judgment differently; we should be guided by the law and not emotions.
“Retraining on these subject matters are key to avoiding embarrassment in the profession.
“There will not be conflicting judgments if the capacity of judges is upgraded on a regular basis,’’ he said. (NAN)
MUK/ESAN/OU
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Edited by Abiodun Esan/Obike Ukoh
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