The relocation of five Magistrate Courts and two Rent Tribunals sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital to the private building of an Akure businessman is causing ripples in the state.
The Courts started sittings last month in a building owned by Chief O. Olukayode located at Hospital Road, Oshinle roundabout, Akure.
The Ondo State Judiciary has been battling with lack of court rooms for Magistrate Courts and Rent Tribunals which led to the letting of the Olukayode’s house.
But lawyers in the state are not happy with the development and one of them Barrister Charles Titiloye has noted that sitting a courtroom in a private building can compromise the independence and neutrality of the Judiciary specifically where landlord or owners of such building may have pending cases before the Court.
He noted that section 36 of constitution on human rights of citizen prescribed that a court should be established in a manner to guarantee its independence and impartiality.
The activist queried whether those courts can handle any case involving Chief Olukayode and his family?
Titiloye flayed the state government for precipitating this problem by not building new court rooms for the Judiciary or giving out any of its houses at Alagbaka, Akure as temporal accommodation for courtrooms.
The activist noted that the Olukayode building was not conducive as same premises house incompatible businesses and tenants like aluminum artisans, gymnasium, church, bank and a drinking joint at the back.
He said, “In fact we sometimes find it difficult to hear what the Magistrate is saying in the court. The place is unsafe as only one door leads to all the court rooms and there is no parking space for vehicles.
Titiloye noted that this situation has brought hardship to lawyers within Akure branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
He stressed that, ”we have resolved in our general meeting that the executive of Akure branch of NBA should meet the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Sehinde Kumuyi, to relocate the Magistrate to a more conducive building owned by the government.
The activist noted that justice is rooted in confidence of litigants in the impartiality of the court, Ondo State government must take immediate step to protect the integrity of the courts now sitting in the private building.
However, a top official in the State Judicial Commission (SJC), said the development is temporary, stressing that efforts were on by the state government to provide conducive accommodation for the dispensation of justice.
