Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Determined to continue to dispense justice despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Ogun State Judiciary, on Wednesday, commenced electronic court proceedings.
The virtual court session which took place at the State High Court Complex, Kobape Road, Abeokuta, was presided over by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu.
The two cases which came up for mentioning before the court were that of State against Emmanuel Adetoye, with suit number AB/5R/2020 and State against Yussuf Ayinde and Ajibola Samuel, with suit number AB/19R/2019.
The cases, were however, adjourned by the Chief Judge to 26th of May and 9th of June, respectively, while the accused persons, who appeared via electronic transmission from their correctional custody, were ordered to remain in the facility.
Speaking with journalists after the maiden virtual court session, the Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Akingbolahan Adeniran, said the judiciary tested and ensured that proceedings could partly hold online and partly physically in the court room.
He added that the process was to enable the judiciary in Ogun return to business amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Attorney-General explained further that the pandemic cannot put end to judicial proceeding, emphasising that “justice must always be present”.
“It’s the only way to go and, even though before coronavirus, judiciary across the country should have been moving towards more electronic management system, document management system, electronic proceedings, being able to have witnesses and defendants attend or participate online and we are aspiring towards that.
“Now, today, what we did was a proof of concept to show that it can work and indeed it worked. In order for it to expand to all phases of proceedings, because as you can see to do a trial is a different thing. All the cases today were for mentioning, but when it’s a full blown trial, we also need to make sure that technology is available to support it. But like I keep saying, this is the first of three phases, this is to show that we are serious, and we are actively engaging technology, we are reviewing the processes, the judiciary has also issued new practice direction which is available on their website that enables and gives legal backing to what we are doing today.
“Apart from that, we are very conscious about safety and health, which is one of the reasons why we are doing this in the first place, so that defendants in prison do not have to be exposed outside the prison to coronavirus. And yes, if we need to do it after lockdown is lifted, we can do it online. We can do a lot of workshops online. Even after the lockdown is lifted, we have to be conscious about social distancing, and every other thing NCDC has prescribed. This is just the beginning.  But I want the media to actively engage us, you need to ask questions and you need to follow through to ensure that we actually deliver because justice cannot stop because of coronavirus”. Adeniran stated.
He, however, disclosed that court and judiciary staff would be sufficiently  trained  across the state in order to make them proficient in deploying technology to carry out court proceedings.
Also speaking with newsmen, Olusegun Olaotan, Director, Public Prosecution in Ogun State, expressed his delight that the state judiciary was able to blaze the trail of novel introduction of technology into the administration of criminal justice in the state.
While noting that “the coronavirus pandemic has brought out the ingenuity in us to look for a way out so we don’t keep criminals in detention perpetually”, the Ogun DPP submitted that virtual proceedings will continue after the COVID-19 challenges.