Community head calls on legislature, Executive to sanction Buhari’s call for quick dispensation of justice

Akin Olayemi

Head of Otumara community in the Lagos Mainland Local Government of Lagos State, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye has called on the National Assembly to sanction the 15 months’ limit proposed by President Muhammadu for the dispensation of justice for criminal and civil cases.

Kalejaiye made the plea on Friday following President Buhari’s call for urgent reform of the country’s justice system noting that the pace at which cases are dispensed with by courts across the country is terribly slow.

The president, however, advocated a 12-month time limit for the hearing of all criminal cases while civil cases should be dispensed with within 15 months.

Lending credence to the president’s stance, Kalejaiye said, “As a victim of slow pace of judicial system, President Muhammadu Buhari’s suggestion is a step in the right direction.

I am therefore appealing to him to pull all the necessary strings to ensure that the proposed time limit is assented to.
This will enable the common man has an unhindered access to dispensation of justice.

As it stands, an average Nigerian has lost faith in the country’s judiciary system because many people are denied justice.

They are reluctant to go to court because they believe that they would end up wasting their time and resources.

Both the executive and legislative arms need to restore the court as the hope of the common man. I know of an old of 90 years of age who have spent 25 years on a civic case while countless innocent citizens rot away in correctional facilities across the country for offences they knew nothing about.

Our judicial system should consider the less privileged. The old man had his only building demolished by the person that sold the land to him. He was rendered homeless and sleeps around.

Consequent to this unjust act, Baba head to court to seek redress but he has been in court since 1995 without any meaningful direction. He was turned to a tenant and left to suffer.

Rather than sit back in his old days to enjoy what he had laboured for in his youthful years, he is suffering in his old age moving from his shackle to the Lagos High Court without any hope in view.
The man has all the necessary documents.

He has all title documents to the building but since some powerful people are bent on using the judiciary to deny him of his right.

Our law and court are not protective of the voiceless and the weak. I am also appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the State’s Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo to replicate same in Lagos State.

The All States legislature and National Assembly must work hand in hand with their executives to ensure speedy dispensation of justice within the 15months time limit suggested by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

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