By Chijioke Attah.
Lawyers in Nsukka Senatorial Zone have taken to the streets in protest over the introduction of virtual hearing of cases without adequate support facilities.
This situation has stalled speedy dispensation of justice and placed heavy financial burden on litigants.
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Speaking in an exclusive interview, Barrister Christopher Sunday Agbo, chairman Nigeria Bar Association, Nsukka branch said lawyers had been pushed to the wall since past efforts by the association to get the concerned authorities to address their concerns were fruitless.
According to him, the lawyers association had written to the state chief judge about their challenges but nothing came out of it.
Agbo said that while lawyers were not against virtual hearing of matters in court, they were only asking that the necessary facilities that would aid the process be provided for seamless court proceedings.
The chairman said the lawyers were making three demands to the government which include that judges be sitting physically in all the judicial divisions in the zone, judges quarters should be built to ensure judges reside in their division of postings and finally that adequate facilities for virtual hearing be provided where the courts cannot sit physically.
Agbo called on the state government and the chief judge of the state to replicate what they had done in Enugu by providing large screens, public address systems and wifi for improved network that would make for a seamless virtual sessions.
The issue of network challenges has delayed, affected and hampered justice delivery within these judicial divisions.
“Litigants are losing confidence in the judiciary affected judicial divisions and the cost of litigation has increased the financial burden on those who seek justice through the courts,” he fumed.
The NBA chairman said they had resorted to public protests to let the public, the government and Nigerian Bar Association, national see what they were passing through and if at the end nothing comes out of it, “we dispense with justice system in Nsukka and let everyone resort to self help if that is what the government wants”.
Enugu North Senatorial Zone comprise of five judicial divisions which include Nsukka, Obollo-Afor, Ogbede, Orba and Enugu Ezike.
