NAN-H-66
Time-frame
By Magdalene Ukuedojor
Abuja, Feb. 13, 2017 (NAN) Some lawyers have suggested the allocation of time-frame to cases, to forestall unending adjournments which tend to delay justice.
They made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja while reacting to the shifting of judgment in the much-awaited `Apo Six’ case.
February 13 had been set for the delivery of judgment in the alleged extra-judicial killing of six Igbo traders by policemen in 2005.
However, the judgment was adjourned till March 9 by the FCT High Court in charge of the case.
The police officers standing trial in the case are: Danjuma Ibrahim, Othman Abdulsalami, Nicholas Zakaria, Ezekiel Acheneje, Baba Emmanuel and Sadiq Salami.
They were charged with culpable homicide over killing of the traders — Ifeanyi Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwodike and Augustina Arebun.
The lawyers expressed disappointment over what they termed “unnecessary delays’’ in the case, calling for specified time-frame for all cases to speed up justice.
Mrs. Angela Isah, a law practitioner, expressed disappointment that the case had lingered for over a decade.
Isah said that the matter should be concluded without further delay, adding that many Nigerians were awaiting its outcome.
“This case has taken more than enough time already, since 2005; it is said that hope deferred is almost lost.
“People need justice; people need closure; we must not toy with lives and the belief of people that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.
“All eyes are on the judiciary now; we must sit up; we need to have time allocated to cases to restore confidence in the judiciary at this time,’’ she said.
Another lawyer, Mr Izu Nwokocha, expressed dissatisfaction at the processes which lead to lengthy trial periods, urging the courts to allocate time-frame to cases.
“Apo Six is just one of some of the cases still in court; some have spanned 15 years or two decades; it doesn’t say well of the judiciary.
“A lot of people are disappointed; we have to continually offer hope to people to trust the system to handle their cases in a just, fair and timely manner,’’ he said. (NAN)
MUK/KOLE/NKO
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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Nkechi Okoronkwo
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