Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State’s Reaction to Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 Of 2024 Of the Ondo State Judiciary

INTRODUCTION

The Honourable Justice Ademola Enikuomehin of the Ondo State High Court, Owo Judicial Division on the 14th of March, 2023, handed down a judgement in Suit No: HOW/66/2022(ALHAJI RASHEED OLANREWAJU KAZEEM V. THE HONOURABLE CHIEF JUDGE OF ONDO STATE & OTHERS) and after a thorough perusal of the judgement, with deliberate considerations of Sections 86 and 87 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015,and Section 35 of the High Court Law of Ondo State, 2006 , the Chief Judge of Ondo State of Nigeria; Honourable Justice Aiyedun Olusegun Odusola, on the 7th of May, 2024, caused to be issued in Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, a Practice Direction directing; that all criminal cases be commenced, tried and completed by a Court having jurisdiction in the division or district where the offence was committed; that all pending criminal cases in trial which had yet to reach the defence stage be reverted to such division or district where the offence was committed and such criminal matters commenced afresh; and that all prior Practice Directions, Circulars, Orders or any other administrative instructions against the directives were thereby repealed.

The Ondo State Government under the stewardship of the Executive Governor His Excellency, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa unfurled an eight point reformative agenda of the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Ondo State wherein obeisance to court order and law is given utmost compliance. The Ondo State Government herewith adheres with Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, to its fullest extent as it will always continue to do.

The Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Ondo State salutes the judgment of the Ondo State High Court, and the judicial directives of the Chief Judge of OndoState in Pratice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, and also assures the Ondo State Judiciary of continuous synergy and partnership with the State executive arm of government.

The Practice Direction will restore balance to the criminal jurisdiction across all judicial divisions and magisterial districts in the State, ensuring the jurisprudential development of the Bar and Bench across the State as compared to when the criminal jurisdiction over felonies and capital offences was centralized to the State capital, Akure.

Furthermore, the new directives will reduce the risk of transporting awaiting trial persons and defendants in criminal matters held in our State Correctional facilities across the State to and from the State capital, and also lessen the financial burden on the transportation, personnel, surveillance and armed escort expenditure of the State Correctional facilities. The witness transport expenditure of the Ondo State Judiciary as provided for under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015, will also be prudentially managed as the courts will receive fewer requests from witnesses from outside its jurisdiction.

The Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice reassures the citizenry of Ondo State that the Ondo State Ministry of Justice will continue to meet up its duties in prosecution of criminal matters regardless of the location of the court across the criminal divisions and districts in the State, and that the Ondo State Government will pay rapt attention and facilitate the speedy infrastructural development of court facilities and across the State.

Dated Thursday, the 9th Day of May, 2024

E-signed
Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, OON
Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ondo State