Ademola Orunbon
The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has vowed that no rapist in the state would go unpunished, saying the state would do everything possible to deal ruthlessly with culprits of sexual assault.
Justice Dipeolu stated this at the official Commissioning of The Magistrate Court, Ido-Oke, Igbesa Land, Ado-Odo/Ota, Local Government Area of the state.
The chief judge said that the rise in reported rape cases in the country has become worrisome, a situation which has lead concerned groups to call on state governments to declare a state of emergency on the rape across the country.
‘Rape has become a global phenomenon, the appalling side of rape in our clime has to do with the recklessness of the perpetrators, the lacklustre response of justice administrators and absence of an institutional support system to help the victims,’ Justice Dipeolu said.
She said that newly built Magistrate Court would help to bring justice closer to the people and to avert jungle justice, noting that the court was built in the spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and as a way of giving back to society.
She added that due to the enormous workload of the existing magistrate courts, there are incidents of delay in the adjudication of cases, with parties having to wait long before the conclusion of their cases.
Justice Dipeolu added that the proper administration of justice could not be achieved without new courts being built and new magistrates being appointed.
She said that the state government has been able to appoint more magistrates to help reduce the workload on the existing ones, noting that it is on the verge of appointing more Chief Magistrates due to the shortage in that cadre.
The judge requested the cooperation of stakeholders in the administration of justice to ensure proper implementation of the Seven-Point Agenda of its administration, saying that all hands must be on deck to sustain the court, especially the police which needs to provide the court with an orderly, a prosecutor and security for the magistrate’s quarters.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Olu of Idi-Oke Kingdom, Igbesa Land, HRM Oba Muhammed Saheed Ifalohun Odusanya, said the commissioning of the Magistrate Court could not have become reality without the support of the Chief Judge and her team.
Oba Odusanya said that the development of any country or state could only be achieved through a meaningful contribution from committed individuals and groups.
‘It is our collective responsibility to move this country forward and build it to world standard through our meaningful contributions, either by individuals or groups of individuals and through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),’ Oba Odusanya stated
The traditional ruler appreciated the state government, the judiciary, Ministry of Justice, and the individual and collective contribution of the staff of judiciary for the support given towards the completion of the court.