Imo state judiciary may again be engulfed in fresh controversies following what is suspected to be a new bill passed into law by the legislative arm of the state government being awaited to be assented to,by the state governor,Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Though, as at press time,details of such new developments in the House of Assembly remained sketchy with suspicion that the bill has Already been passed into law. A law to arm the Chief Registrar with the powers to assign cases to judges in the state judiciary,. Function known to be handled by the Admin Judge of the state according to procedure.
Reacting to this issue in Owerri on Thursday, Prince Bob Njemanze made it clear by stating that
“In the Nigerian judiciary,the assignment of cases to judges in all instances is guided by rules of procedure and judicial administration to ensure fairness,transparency and avoidance of bias.The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the federal matters or the Chief Judge of the state for the state courts. oversees the .In practice,cases are usually distributed by the Admin Judge through the Registry under the Chief Judge’s authority. to prevent “forum shopping’ or favouritism. A Chief Registrar who normally is a Chief Magistrate oversees assignment of cases to fellow. magistrates
There are ethical and administrative guidelines to ensure that case assignments are not abused. These are established rules with the goal of impartiality and efficiency”.
Should this action of the legislative arm eventually see the light of the day, says I, Bob Njemanze will as in the earlier case will drag this same House of Assembly to court for overreaching itself. The High Court ruled in my favour and awarded me cost against the IMO house of Assembly as in the earlier case.
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