The Nation Newspaper

Category: Law

  • Wanted: Commercial courts

    Wanted: Commercial courts

    Former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), Mrs Boma Ozobia, has called for the creation of specialised commercial courts.

    According to her, lack of such courts rob Nigeria of huge investment opportunities.

    She said some investors prefer neighbouring Ghana where commercial disputes are resolved more quickly.

    “I as a practitioner I have sat in Nigeria with tears in my eyes looking at investors, working with them and doing due diligence on whether they would invest in Nigeria.

    “I can tell you, they came with  large sums of money and the deal breaker was that they were interested in disputes resolution.

    “So this commercial disputes resolution is a huge disincentive for investment. We can travel round the whole world looking for investors.

    “When they agree in principle, they will do their due diligence and I as a practitioner have seen that as a deal breaker that stopped them from coming to Nigeria  to invest.

    “Now coming to commercial dispute resolution, it is true that most companies prefer to settle their commercial disputes abroad,” Ozobia said.

    She said no businessman would want a situation where his money is tied down for six or seven years due to interlocutory applications.

    “Let me just say that, and I have said this before,  Nigeria is perhaps where England was 250 years ago.

    “Every system goes through some sort of process and some times it has to broken before you can fix  it,@ Ozobia said.

    On alleged corruption in the judiciary, she said judges are part of the society.

    According to her, judges do not exist in isolation.

    “If you are talking about corruption being in every aspect of the society, corruption almost becoming a culture of this country, sadly then you can expect that you have some corrupt judges,” she said.

    Ozobia, however, believes the problem is not as bad as it seems.

    To her, a lawyer should only go to court where they have a good case.

    “The law is quite predictable, so by the time you get your facts and then you look at the law and the precedents, you will be able to say, I think I have a good chance of winning this case and if I don’t I should be able to tell my client that I really don’t think I have a good chance of winning this case, why not settle this case or think twice about going to court.

    “So, when I start from that premise, I predict my outcomes and I can happily say to you that the outcomes have been as predicted which means that it went in the accordance with the law as we know it.

    “So, for me I cant say that the judges have otherwise been persuaded than by the law. I hear of these things but my experience has not reflected it at all.

    “The outcomes have been predictable which means that the decisions have been in accordance with what I expected knowing the law,” Ozobia said.

    She called for discipline among lawyers and judges.

    Her words: “At least on paper, we have disciplinary measures, but the reality is  that the profession is largely unregulated, that is the reality and is why you find such bad behavior.

    “Although we have a code of conduct, it is still opaque on who disciplines.

    “There is a Bar council, there is the NBA and a petition has to be written first. But in England, the law society will not wait for a petition and so regulation is robust, as a result of which members of the profession are very careful.

    “I  am very hopeful because the current leadership of the NBA is certainly working with other Bar leaders towards ensuring that we have a more robust regulatory system.”

    Ozobia said recent developments in the judiciary have served as wake-up call.

    “For many of us in the profession, even those who were not really interested in getting involved with the Bar and working with the legal community, are now realising that it is important to do so because you can’t just stand alone.

    “So, many of us are beginning to realise that and the sooner we regulate the the better for the profession and the better for the larger society who we serve and that is the primary thing.

    “I have said this before, when I was the President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, I went for a conference in Vancouver.

    “I was speaking to one of the leaders of the Canadian Bar and he said they usually  have an indemnity cover, so that if you are negligent in advising your client and it costs them, your insurance pays them. Your clients don’t have to suffer any loss because of your professional negligence.

    “Until we get to that point, you will find that more and more Nigerians will find it difficult to come to us.  And if this happens, people will rely on self-help, jungle justice,” Ozobia said.

  • Court jails fake lawyer 18 months

    Court jails fake lawyer 18 months

    An Ijede Magistrate court, sitting in Ikorodu Division of the Lagos State Judiciary, has sentenced a  middle aged man, Olamide Oyekola Yinusa, to 18 months imprisonment for presenting himself as a lawyer.

    Magistrate (Mrs) A. Oshodi-Makanju jailed Yinusa six months for each of three offences out of seven count charge offences for which he was charged before the court.

    He would however spend six months in prison as the sentences would run concurrently from date of arraignment.

    Yinusa, a father of one, was arrested within Ikorodu court on October 22, last year while presenting himself to some unsuspected clients as a lawyer and was subsequently arraigned three days after, on October 25, last year before Magistrate Oshodi-Makanju.

    The Police had arraigned him on a seven count charge offence before the court bordering on  conspiracy, obtaining money on false pretence, for unauthorised use of wig and gown of  lawyers and for falsely presenting himself as a lawyer among others.

    The complainant, Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), Ikorodu Branch prosecuting team was led by its Vice Chairman who is also the chairman of Human Rights and Pro Bono Committee, Prince Adetayo Ladega during the trial that lasted five months. Other members of the team are Mr Dapo Akodu and Mrs A. Agusionu.

    Although Yinusa earlier entered a not guilty plea on arraignment but moderated his plea in the course of trial when evidences were presented and admitted by the court as exhibits against him.

    He denied counts three, four, five and six but admitted and pleaded guilty  offences listed in count one, two and seven.

    In his allocutos, the convict pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he is an orphan and the only bread winner of his family and promised to change and not to present himself as a lawyer again.

    Magistrate Oshodi-Makanju subsequently found him guilty on the three counts to which he admitted the offences and jailed him for six months on each of the offences.

    Police prosecution, Woman Sergeant Kemi Adeniran told the court that sometimes in September last year within Ikorodu Magisterial District, Yinusa, with two others now at large, allegedly conspired amongst themselves to commit felony by obtaining money under false pretence contrary to Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    Adeniran told the court that the convict allegedly collected  N90,000 from the family of one Kusoju that had a case bordering on malicious damage before a court under the pretext that the money would be used to perfect his bail but never did contrary to Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The Police Prosecutor  had further alleged that the convict allegedly collected N20,000 from one Samuel Ajetumobi for the purpose of paying the Police and Court Sheriff to unlock a room in dispute; N35,000 from one Elizabeth Okon whose son Micheal had a case at Panti Police staion on the pretext that he was going to use the money to process his bail and another N150,000 from one Elekwachi Christiana Ijeoma on the pretext of securing an apartment for her but never did Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The convict in addition was alleged to have obtained original copy of call to bar certificate of a lawyer and practicing with lawyers wig and gown under the pretext of keeping same for her.

    He was in addition alleged to have worn the lawyer’s wig and gown and presented himself within Ikorodu Magisterial district as a lawyer contrary to Section 78 (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The convict pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge offence preferred against him by the Police.

    Although he admitted not being a lawyer, he claimed to have attended Nigerian Law School, Bwari in 2005 but dropped out following the death of his parents in a crisis that occurred in Jos in 2005.

    The convict contended that he did not steal the lawyer’s  wig and gown and that the N150,000 collected from Christiana was a gift and not meant for rent.

    He he said a part of the N90,000 collected from the family of  Kusoju was given to one Aniba to enable him stand surety for the accused person and for processing of the bail bond.

  • Appointment of CJN: Matters arising

    Eminent lawyer Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) argues that the appointment of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) should continue to be based on seniority.

    Since the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Mahmoud Muhammad, retired gracefully from the pinnacle of Nigeria’s Judiciary in November last year, the issue of who steps into his big judicial shoes has been generating some heat. To borrow the lingo of the politicians, the appointment of the next CJN has been heating up the (judicial) polity. But why this brouhaha, why the melee?

    From time immemorial, the law profession has been jealously regarded as a noble and honorable profession with its beauty lying among other things in the fact that they are regarded as learned. Judges were respected by Lawyers and the people generally. Judges were seen as the replica of God on earth. No wonder Ray Ekpu, a frontline Nigerian Journalist and one of the top Executives of the rested Newswatch Magazine once said, among other things, that: “…indeed the seat of a judge is the throne of God”.

    It was these among other factors that fascinated, attracted and persuaded me to study Law. After I obtained my First Degree in Economics through Private Studies from the University of London in 1959, I had some juicy and mouth-watering offers from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Mobil and some other reputable organisations then, but I turned them all down despite the accompanying perks and proceeded to read for my LL.B, also by private study.

    After my LL. B, I had to proceed to England for my Bar Examinations because there was no Law School in Nigeria then. It was when I was in England that I had further insight into why the Legal profession enjoyed so much respect among members of the society. The dinners in the Inns of Courts with topmost Judges, Law lecturers and Queen’s Counsel had the effect of training the minds of news inductees and bringing them into contact with the convention and tradition of best practices in the age-long profession.

    To drive the point home, it was part of the tradition that each of the new inductee’s family names, their precedents, occupations and their general history were inscribed on their certificates to admit them into the Bar.

    When I came back in 1963, there were Judges and Lawyers from Europe, West African countries and West Indies around. I met the high standard of practice and decorum that were the hallmark of legal practice in Europe on ground.  The respect among Lawyers and particularly for the Judges was palpably deep and genuine.

    But today, many extraneous factors have crept into the appointment of judges so much so that people working in public limited liability companies have been appointed judges to satisfy geographical spread. Mind you, these are people who have not been to court before, who have never practiced and yet they are being appointed judges only to satisfy some interest alien to the administration of justice. Pray, what sort of judgments do we have with this type of sloppy appointment to the Bench? And in some instances, state governors want to have a hand in the appointment of judges.

    It is on record that appointment of judges in those days was by invitation to practising lawyers who have demonstrated integrity, learning and decorum of someone deserving of being invited to the Bench, but all that seemed to have changed.

    From time to time, appointments to the Supreme Court Bench were from the Bar, the High Court Bench and the Court of Appeal. Furthermore,  the appointment of the CJN in the last 21 years for example, has been from the Bench. The table above will engender a proper understanding Chief Justices of Nigeria are appointed.

     

     Table analysis

    From the above table, it could be gleaned that since the appointment of Hon. Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais in 1995 as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all CJNs have been products of the Court of Appeal.

    And so the foggy and foreboding cloud surrounding the appointment of the next CJN after Hon. Justice Muhammad as a result of which unnecessary interferences have crept in is a development that should not have arisen in the first instance. The precedence of appointing the most senior Jurist on the Supreme Court Bench as the CJN should not be dispensed with as any departure from that time-tested practice is bound to rock the boat and we will all be worse for it.

    The appointment of the most senior Justice as the CJN having become a norm and institutionalised has continually fanned the embers of stability and autonomy of the Supreme Court. While the Court of Appeal has become an ever-flowing recruitment fountain for the Supreme Court, the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has become the entitlement of the most senior Justice.

    This should remain so. The case of Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen cannot be different. If this time-honoured practice since 1995 has been followed, the current acrimony about the appointment of the next CJN would have been avoided. Fortunately, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has forwarded Hon. Justice Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation as the arrow head of Nigeria’s Judiciary. Hopefully, the Senate will do justice to the matter with dispatch and lay the matter to rest finally.

  • ‘Sanction violators of arbitration rules’

    A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrations (UK) Nigeria Branch Babajide Ogundipe has advocated the mandatory observance of arbitration rules by practitioners.

    He said arbitrations institutions should make it compulsory for members to apply the rules and to sanction violators.

    Ogundipe said stakeholders have a duty to ensure that arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, which he said have been broadly accepted, remain credible alternatives to litigation.

    One way to do so, he said, is to ensure that arbitrators are people with integrity; those who violate the rules should lose their membership of such institutions.

    Ogundipe spoke in Lagos at CIArb Nigeria workshop series on the theme: Arbitrators’ Conflicts of Interest: the need for greater transparency and adoption of uniform standards of disclosure.

    According to him, it would be “an absolute tragedy” for the credibility of the arbitration process to be corrupted through “improper and unethical conduct”.

    He said high standards should be incorporated in the rules by arbitration institutions, which much enforce compliance.

    “These institutions can require their members to subscribe to certain minimum standards and to make failing to adhere thereto a disciplinary issue that is capable of resulting in sanctions, and such sanctions can be expulsion from the institution.

    “Get members to sign a declaration saying: ‘I undertake to adhere to these rules, and if I don’t, I recognise that I’m liable to be sanctioned,” Ogundipe said.

    The lawyer said party appointed arbitrators are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, such as where an arbitrator has a financial interest in the issue, has a close relationship with a party or counsel representing a party, or a family member has interest in the issue, among others.

    According to him, circumstances that are likely to give rise to justifiable doubts must be disclosed.

    “It is not good for us for people to think that they can buy an arbitrator,” he said.

    A life bencher, Mrs Hairat Balogun, said integrity should occupy a central point in arbitration. She said even where an arbitrator knows parties in a dispute, he can still not compromise if he has integrity.

    “A person like I know everybody after me. It’s only people who know me who will say: ‘It doesn’t matter, even if the parties are relations, she’s going to do what she must do’. We should put a big circle around the word ‘integrity’,” she said.

    A Senior advocate of Nigeria, Ayodele Akintunde, said arbitration comes with a culture of integrity which needs to be sustained like a “marathon, not a sprint”.

    The branch’s first vice-chairman, Tunde Busari (SAN), said every arbitrator must realise they owe a duty to disclose every possible sources of conflict.

  • Buhari, CJN, Ooni for launch of book on Eso

    The late Supreme Court Justice, Kayode Eso, has been described as a jurist of international repute who still commands a lot of respect five years after his demise.

    Messrs Arigbabuwo Lateef and Odunlami Oluwaseun made this observation at a briefing on the presentation of a book on the late Eso, which they co-authored.

    It is to be launched today.

    The book is titled: Justice Kayode Eso: Beacon of Judicial activism.

    The event will hold at Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja.

    According to them, the late Eso’s attributes made them to write the book in his honour.

    They hope the book would serve as a resource material for those who share his ideals on the bench, especially his judicial activism.

    President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to be the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

    Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) will chair the event, while the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen is the Guest of Honour.

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II is the Host Royal Father while royal fathers of the day included the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona and Oba of Lagos , Oba Rilwan Akiolu.

    Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is the chief host,  the father of the day for the book launch is Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) while the Chief Launcher and Book reviewer are Chairman/CEO, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Dean of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Prof. Ademola Popoola.

     

  • Activists seek strict enforcement of ACJA

    A civil society coalition, One Voice, has called for stricter enforcement of the Admnistration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 if the fight against corruption is to be won.

    It regretted that nearly two years after the Buhari administration was inaugurated, no high profile case has been concluded or conviction secured.

    OneVoice, in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), at a briefing in Lagos to review the government’s policy direction, said acts of corruption were still rife among several agencies.

    “Buhari’s much-vaunted crusade against corruption has neither dampened nor discouraged the appetite for corruption in Nigeria. Police and Customs officers still farm out on the roads and extort bribes from hapless commuters and traders.

    “Under his watch, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies corruptly handed out jobs to children and wards of the most privileged. Elections are still fraught with fraud, with the police and army rolled out to serve partisan interests.

    “Judicial processes operate at snail-speed; lawyers and judges collude in using incessant adjournments to derail justice. Buhari has done nothing more than yawn when political appointees close to him have been accused of corrupt acts,” One Voice said.

    The group urged the Federal Government to respect the rule of law and “vigorously” implement the ACJA.

    It said if corruption war must be won, there should be no sacred cows, including those close to the president.

    On insecurity, One Voice urged the government to demonstrate the will to curtail the menace of rampaging killer herdsmen by prosecuting them and guaranteeing justice and protection for vulnerable communities.

    It urged the government to provide palliatives to address the harsh economic conditions, diversify the economy and improve power generation and distribution to promote productivity and create jobs.

    One Voice said if the President’s health cannot allow him to function optimally, he should place the larger interests of Nigeria about his narrow interests and resign so as to take care of himself.

  • CJ, Oyebode, others urge lawyers to join anti-graft war

    Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence, Prof. Akin Oyebode, the Chief Judge of Lagos state, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have urged lawyers to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda to transform governance in the country.

    Other senior legal practitioners who spoke in similar vein included Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof Adedeji Adekunle, Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN), among others.

    The occasion was the Strategic Dialogue Roundtable organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in collaboration with National Endowment for Democracy (NED), United States held at Weston Hotel, Ikeja.

    The theme of the roundtable was, “Combating corruption and impunity: the imperatives of improving the effectiveness of anti-corruption mechanisms and the Justice system in Nigeria.”

    Oyebode said: ”Corruption is systemic and we cannot just be fighting the symptoms. It is a systemic disease that must be confronted headlong,” adding that those fighting it recognised its corrosive impact.

    He noted that efforts by past administrations to fight corruption have not yielded expected results.

    President Mohammadu Buhari, he said, had become a global brand,  becuase of his dedication to the anti-corruption war.

    “I plead with our lawyers to join the crusade and not just be only interested in their briefs because we have seen cases of corruption fighting back.

    “The monies that disappeared into private pockets are monies that could have been used to develop our infrastructure, build schools, hospitals and other facilities that could have made life more meaningful for ordinary Nigerians.’’

    Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, who was represented by the Chief Registrar, Mr Emmanuel Ogundare said efforts should be intensified to curb corruption in the judiciary.

    “Corruption is not limited to a particular person. If you pay a visit to the Kirikiri Prisons, there are at least two senior lawyers with at least 10 years experience in the bar who are serving jail terms for corruption.

    “We cannot allow corruption to exist in the judiciary because this is the last hope for the common man,” the CJ said.

    Oyetibo, who was chairman of the occasion, said it was a misconception that corruption only existed in high places.

    Giving an instance, Oyetibo contended that it was attitudinal “and to combat it, we must fight from the lowest ebb, the homes to offices and in high places.

    “ It is a question of the right attitude and we should all imbibe it right from our homes before we move to high places”.

    President of the NBA, Mr Abubakar Mahmud, who was represented by the Welfare Secretary, Mr Adesina Adegbite, lamented that corruption cases were often prolonged in the courts in spite of the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJL 2015) meant to quicken the process.

    “Until we kill corruption, it would be difficult to progress as a nation,” he said.

  • ‘Arbitration catalyst for economic growth’

    • ICC to hold regional conference

    An effective system of arbitration can be a catalyst for economic development, former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) president Mrs Boma Ozobia has said

    She said Africa would attract more investment and boost economic development if investors know that disputes will be quickly resolved.

    “Investment does not like disputes, especially private equity. Where disputes arise, it has to be dealt with quickly,” she said.

    Ozobia spoke at a briefing on the Second International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Africa Regional Arbitration Conference to be held in Lagos from May 14 to 16 at Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island.

    It is jointly organised by the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC and ICC Nigeria.

    Ozobia said countries with efficient dispute resolution systems have better economies because they attract more investment.

    “Dispute resolution is the key that unlocks investments,” Ozobia, who is chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, said.

    According to her, the theme: Arbitration: Catalyst for economic growth, is central to the circumstances Nigeria and Africa find themselves.

    She said the conference is for arbitration professionals who want to keep up to date with latest developments and insights in international arbitration.

    “Certainly, Africa is experiencing an upsurge in international arbitration. With a line-up of top class speakers and topical discussions, the conference will provide an excellent opportunity to network and build skills.

    “It promises to be a gathering of the world’s most experienced and renowned lawyers and arbitrators n the target audience cut across sectors,” Ozobia said.

    Chairman, sub-committee on finance, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), said there would be break-out sessions, with participants and speakers from Nigeria and across Africa.

    He said the president of ICC International Court of Arbitration Alexis Mourre is among those expected, adding that provisions will be made for French interpreters.

    He said topics to be discussed include: Reforming arbitration law and practice in Africa, Barriers to entry: dealing with diversity, how to be an effective administrative secretary, building an arbitration practice, rising cost of arbitration and depth of rules, among others.

    Chairman, sub-committee on publicity and marketing, Mrs Josephine Akinwunmi, said registration was ongoing, with discounts for “early birds”.

     

  • Firms seek N50m over alleged breach of contract

    JUSTICE Femi Adeniyi of an Ikeja High Court has fixed May 9 for further hearing in a suit filed by        Omega City Ventures Limited, Oshomak Ventures Limited and Steel Works Limited, against the Managing Director and Executive Vice Chairman of Sifax Group Nigeria Limited, Dr. Taiwo Olayinka Afolabi and his company over alleged breach of contract.

    The judge fixed the date after the claimants closed their case.

    They are praying for an order of the court for “immediate and unconditional payment of N90 million by the respondents to the first claimant being the 10 percent commission of N900 million purchase price in respect of service rendered to the defendants as estate agents in getting the defendants the property formerly known as No 212, Moshood Abiola Way, Ijora measuring approximately 13,800 square metres.”

    The plaintiffs claimed that they were into real estate, property development and general contracts duly incorporated under the companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

    They claimed that the first defendant sought to buy the property at Ijora, Ebutte-Metta and Surulere axis of the state for business purposes which the claimants reportedly executed.

    The claimants averred that the “third claimant got the property and introduced to the second defendant, who in turn, linked and introduced the said property to the first claimant has direct link with the defendants. The first claimant introduced the property to the defendants via her letter of 28th july 2014 titled, Steel Fabricator for Sale.

    “The first claimant did not only introduce and describe the property to the defendant but also attached all necessary title documents which included but not limited to Governor’s consent registered as no 76, page 76 volume 2083 and dated 17/7/2003.

    “The claimant made it clear to the defendant that she will be collecting a professional fees of 10 percent of the purchase price of the property to which the defendant till date never disputed. The claimant hereby pleaded the said letter of 28th July 2014 which was received and acknowledge by the defendant on July 30, 2014.”

    The claimants subsequently prayed the court to order the defendants to pay N50 million general damages for the stress, trauma and the untold hardship suffered by them.

    The defendants, however, denied the claims.

    They are praying the court to dismiss the suit.

    The defendants are expected to open their defence at the next hearing.

  • Ekiti CJ to police: protect courts from hoodlums

    Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, has urged the police to better protect the courts to allow judicial officers perform their duties without fear or favour.

    He spoke when he hosted the Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu.

    The CJ said the rate at which hoodlums attack temples of justice was alarming hence the need to beef up security at the courts.

    He advocated synergy between the Prison authority and the police to beef up security when hardened criminals are being brought to court.

    Daramola recent experiences in Imo and Kogi states where courts were attacked to free inmates brought for trial.

    “We really need Police protection. Please help us in this regard. It is not only the police that criminals look at with disdain. They also look at us with disdain as well.

    “Things have not been thesame between the police and the Prison authority since they started carrying arms. The Prison people must allow the police to assist them,” he said.

    Inalegwu said the need for a cordial relationship between the police and the judiciary was crucial in the administration of justice.

    The police chief promised that his command would beef up security around judges and other judicial officers because of the sensitivity of their job by overhauling operations of the Judges Protection Unit.