Lawyers and litigants have been left frustrated in Delta State as the newly posted Federal High Court judge in Warri has failed to resume work.
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Justice M.O Sani was recently redeployed to head the Warri Judicial Division. However, court officials informed lawyers last week that hearing notices cannot be issued presently due to the judge’s continued absence.
According to court administrative staff, approval for hearing notices is strictly given by the presiding judge. With Justice Sani yet to assume duties, cases are unable to proceed.
The situation has caused immense hardship especially for inmates awaiting trial who were hoping the new judge’s arrival could speed up their bail applications.
Some of the detainees have allegedly been held for years on questionable charges levelled by powerful individuals. Stringent bail terms have also kept many behind bars.
Earlier, the absence of a designated judge had forced the court to suspend hearings from September 2022 resulting in a massive backlog. The Chief Judge was even urged to visit the prison to review dormant cases.
Lawyers in Warri are appealing for urgent action to ensure Justice Sani is available to start hearing cases without further delays. They lament that the judge’s failure to resume is hindering justice delivery.
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