The Ogun state Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu has said that the decongestion of Correctional Service Centres (CSC) across the state would be the state’s priority, as the centres had been grossly congested by awaiting trial inmates.
She made this submission at the commissioning of Iperu Magistrate Court as well as laying of foundation of the proposed Iperu High court, held at the former Iperu Conference Hall, Iperu Remo, Ogun state.
“The congestion in the correctional service centres is a direct offshoot of the workload on all the Judges and the Magistrates, Indeed, I took a tour of all the Divisions and Magisterial Districts to have a firsthand assessment of this enormous workload”, she said.
Dipeolu added that the inauguration of Magistrate Court and laying of foundation of the High Court was borne out of the workload on the existing Magistrate Court which led to the incessant and avoidable delays in the adjudication of cases.
“When adjudication is delayed, the defendant whose bail is not perfected remains in detention; hence, the increase in the number of awaiting trial inmates in the correctional service centres across the state”, Dipeolu said She said that the development would also bring justice to doorstep of everybody that seeking for justice, noting that delimiting workload from existing Magistrate court, which the people find it very difficult to travel long distance in an effort to make justice to prevail when call arise.
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She said that it was pertinent to find a permanent solution to the menace of workload which was not only peculiar to a Magisterial district but facing all most of the Magisterial Districts like Ota, Ifo and Sagamu.
“Iperu Magistrate court is to delimit the workload on our Magistrates Courts particularly Sagamu, Ikenne Magistrate Court. Iperu Magistrate court is of catchment to some other Remo neighbouring communities, likes of Ogere, Ode, Isara, Ipara, Akaka and host of others”, Dipeolu admitted
The Odele Odua, High Chief Kensington Adebukola Adebutu expressed his optimisms over the inauguration of Magistrate court, noting that it has been in existence over 30 years.
“Am happy and delighted that the dream come to limelight, and we are not stopping at Magistrate court, but rather High Court. We want justice to be the order of all, not for the rich. Its our dream, justice should be deliver and prevail in the hand of ordinary man”, Adebutu said.
In his welcome address, the Alaperu of Iperu land, Oba, Adelekan Idowu Basibo said that it was a dream comes to reality as the people of the Iperu had been earnestly looking forward for such development, which he described as giants stride of the judiciary. He expressed,
“Am the most happiest on earth today, especially during my reign, lots of human developing projects are still coming to ourbland, Iperu.
“We have been on this course of action, over forty year ago, but to the glory of God, this was achieved in two weeks time. Its of testimony that Iperu indigenes are naturally endowed”, Oba Basibo said.
