PWAN urges NJC to set time frame for courts

A non-governmental organisation, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) has urged the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) to come up with a standard time frame which courts in the country can operate with in the country. Speaking recently in Abuja when the organisation released its reports on observation findings in the judicial sector, programme manager of PWAN, […]

A non-governmental organisation, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) has urged the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) to come up with a standard time frame which courts in the country can operate with in the country.

Speaking recently in Abuja when the organisation released its reports on observation findings in the judicial sector, programme manager of PWAN, Barbara Maigari, said it was essential for the NJC and all state Chief Judges to agree on a standard time frame for the courts and ensure they are strictly adhered to.

 

She suggested that such a time frame could be to set the time frame for Judges to sit, when to go on recess, and when to close for the day stressing that such decisions should not be left to the discretion of individual judges or Magistrates.

 

According to her, the findings of the research showed that "in Abuja, the average time frame when the courts that were observed, commenced sitting was 9.41 am. They went on recess at 11.35 am, resumed from recess by 12.32pm, and closed by 12.39pm. On average courts are sitting for about two hours and 58 minutes.

"There are judges and magistrates that are doing good work, they work tirelessly to ensure that cases list are attended to."

Also speaking at the event, former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olufunlola Adekeye said it was realistic for a time frame to be set for Judges to commence sitting by 9am but it was unrealistic for them to be given a closing time because most times, cases were stretched for a long time.