REVEALED! Magistrates in Akwa lbom Struggle Seats in Tricycles With Other Passengers While Heading To Court

 

By Vincent Akpan 

 Magistrates in Akwa Ibom State are now in the habit of struggling  seats  in mini buses and tricycles with ordinary members  of the public,especially during working days. 

Findings revealed that In January,2020, the Judicial Service Commission appointed nine Magistrates into the Akwa lbom State Judiciary.

As it has been the practice and standard,such appointments comes with several work tools, including official vehicles, which is always handed over to the new Magistrates shortly after the swearing in.

By global best practice, the availability of official vehicles is one of the cardinal conditions that must be satisfied and ought to precede the appointment of Magistrates.The reason for this age long practice cannot be far fetched.Magistrates like Judges are an endangered species because of the peculiarity of their official functions.They come face to face with 'criminala' and other litigants in their various courts on a daily basis and cannot be expected to use public transportation to courts.

The security implications of a Magistrate using public transportation, particularly now that criminality and insecurity has taken a dangerous dimension in our country cannot be imagined,yet it is the sad reality of Magistrates in Akwa lbom State.Findings revealed that some of these Magistrates cover upto 3-to-4 courts in different Local Government Areas of Akwa lbom State.How can the Magistrates effectively and efficiently discharge their functions without a functional official vehicles?

Apart from the security implications,it is the height of embarrassment for a Magistrate,a judicial officer to condescend from a dignified position  and jostle with other passengers for space in a commercial vehicle in order to go to court.

Interacting with Correspondent of  Crest Newspaper  in  Uyo, one of the practicing legal luminaries in the State who spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed how  one of the newly appointed Magistrates who is  physically challenged goes to court in a commercial tricycle.

The lawyer who narrated with utter disappointment  how another Magistrate boarded a commercial taxi to court and on arrival, the taxi driver declined collecting money from the Magistrates, rather appealed to the Magistrate to tamper justice with mercy in respect of a criminal charge that he was standing trial before the Magistrate.

"This development is very  shameful, disdainful, ridiculous and very embarrassing to the Judiciary. I want to use this medium to appeal to Governor Udom Emmanuel who was magnanimous in appointing these Magistrates to be benevolent enough in providing them with vehicles to enable them discharge their duties efficiently". the visibly angry lawyer, posited.

According to the lawyer, "those  who donated themselves to serve us in the administration of justice at that level deserve at least a dignified means of transportation and enhanced welfare packages to boost productivity and qualitative service delivery.The Governor of Akwa lbom State,His Excellency,Mr.Udom Emmanuel, should rise to the occasion and direct the release and distribution of official vehicles to the affected Magistrates so as to serve the state from further judicial embarrassment"