By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Insufficient courtrooms for Lagos State magistrates court to conduct cases are among other constraints that affect effective justice delivery in the State.
This observation was made by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba during a session at the ongoing Justice Reform Summit in Lagos.
The Chief Judge while expressing concern over the inadequate courtrooms, stressed 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 its 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.
In his remarks, Lagos State 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 administration of justice should contribute to economic growth, investment protection, and security in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.
He said that in the event of a dispute, the investment should not be unnecessarily delayed by prolonged litigation.
In his 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 stressed on 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.
A participant, Mr Edward Akinlade while contributing on at the event, 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.