LAGOS: Access to justice getting big boost under Sanwo-Olu, says commissioner

ACCESS to justice is getting a big boost under the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu, with the introduction of some reforms and deployment of technology.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) announced the introduction of an online platform for checking the status of Legal Advice and printing of Certified True Copies as part of initiatives of the Sanwo-Olu administration to enhance access to justice.

Onigbanjo stated that by October this year, six courts will be fully automated to provide Realtime Transcript Solution services for cases handled in the state while parties involved would have the opportunity to apply for transcripts of cases immediately after court sessions.

The Attorney-General spoke while presenting his ministry’s scorecard for the past two years at the 2021 ministerial press briefing to commemorate second anniversary of Sanwo-Olu’s administration

Noting that the emergence of Covid-19 spurred the initiative of virtual court sittings in the state courts, the commissioner for justice recalled that the first virtual hearing in the state was held on May 4, 2020.

“The virtual hearing was the first in the state and anywhere in Nigeria,” Onigbanjo said.  

Speaking on the incessant attacks on law enforcement officers, he said 10 persons had been arraigned before the courts for assaulting LASTMA and task force officials, pointing out that 62,477 traffic offenders were arrested and arraigned for prosecution within a year.

His words: “The DPP is currently prosecuting 1,860 cases at the High Courts and Magistrate Courts, including 10 offenders who have been so far charged over attacks on officials of the State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA)”.

Onigbanjo said mobile courts prosecuted traffic offences, including the use of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane, street trading, driving against traffic, willful obstruction as well as violation of COVID-19 regulations.

Outlining some other achievements of the ministry, the Attorney-General noted that the Directorate of Civil Litigation obtained 18 rulings and 34 judgments in favour of the state government. He said the directorate helped the state reduce its contingent liabilities worth N95 billion.

Giving an example of such cases, Onigbanjo said the Federal High Court on February 3, 2021 in Olukoya Ogungbeje v State Government and seven others, affirmed the position of the government restricting the use of motorcycles and tricycles as a means of transportation on specific routes within the six local governments and nine local development areas in the state.