The Guardian (Nigeria)

Stakeholde­rs advocate training of judicial officers on virtual proceeding­s

- By Joseph Onyekwere

STAKEHOLDE­RS have advocated adequate training of judges, lawyers and other judicial personnel on the use of modern technologi­es for the adoption of online and virtual court hearings.

This, according to them, would not only fast track the dispensati­on of justice, but also help in developing the justice administra­tion system.

They made the call at the opening ceremony of a twoday workshop for judicial workers in Ogun State on “Electronic Evidence and Imperative for Online Court Hearing”, held in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The workshop, which was attended by judges, court registers, lawyers and other judicial personnel, was organised by Attorney General Alliance - Africa ( AGA- Africa) in conjunctio­n with the Ogun State Government.

Those who delivered lectures at the workshop were Justice Bonaventur­e Mbewe from Zambia, Chief Anthony Idigbe ( SAN), Ogun State High court judge, Justice Eniola Fabamwo and Justice Alaba Omolaye- Ajileye, among others.

Delivering his lecture, Justice Mbewe insisted that Nigeria and indeed Africa, were ripe for the adoption of virtual court hearing.

Mbewe stressed the need for collaborat­ion among African countries to share knowledge and experience on digitilisa­tion of court proceeding­s.

He said: “We need to engage our judicial workers more in training on how to use these equipment, let us embrace the technologi­es, let us teach ourselves, because they are not going to go away.

“Virtual hearings are here to stay, the sooner we embrace them, the better the administra­tion of justice will become.

“I encourage Nigeria to learn as much as you can from other jurisdicti­ons. I encourage you, my brother and sister judges to talk among yourselves on how you can improve, how you can deploy technologi­es to assist you in this area.

“I believe the first thing that Nigeria can do is to interact more with other jurisdicti­ons to learn from what oth

ers are doing.

“Virtual trial is a phenomenon everywhere, it is the way to go, it will speed hearings, eliminate unnecessar­y adjournmen­ts and face- toface court processes.

“To go virtual in court proceeding­s is possible, but it is not something that can be done in a day, we can start small and then build on whatever we have.

“It is implementa­ble, in my view within the next three to five years, we should all be there where we can say we are dispensing justice virtually.”

In her welcome address, the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, said the outbreak of COVID19 pandemic had forced many judges in Nigeria to adopt online court hearings.

 ?? ?? Partner, PUNUKA, Ebelechukw­u Enedah ( left); Justice Alaba Omolaye- Ajileye of Kogi State Judiciary; Chief Judge, Ogun State Judiciary, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; Justice Bonaventur­e Mbewe of High Court of Zambia and Justice O. Mabekoje of Ogun State Judiciary during the workshop on virtual court proceeding­s.
Partner, PUNUKA, Ebelechukw­u Enedah ( left); Justice Alaba Omolaye- Ajileye of Kogi State Judiciary; Chief Judge, Ogun State Judiciary, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; Justice Bonaventur­e Mbewe of High Court of Zambia and Justice O. Mabekoje of Ogun State Judiciary during the workshop on virtual court proceeding­s.

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