ICYMI: Courts are expected to sit, dispense time-bound cases during lockdown ― Malami says

Courts are expected to attend to matters that are urgent, essential or time-bound, even during the lockdown, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said.

Malami said this in a statement issued by Dr Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Minister.

“Speedy dispensation of justice is a cardinal principle of the Justice Sector Reform of the present administration, hence, time-bound cases are treated with dispatch and accorded the required attention,” Malami said.

Malami had given the directive of the speedy dispensation of time-bound cases in a letter addressed to all heads of court dated April 1, conveying the COVID 19 Regulation 2020.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Buhari’s restriction declaration legal, enforceable – Malami

He said that the earlier directive issued by the Chief of Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is in tandem with the COVID-19 Regulations 2020 made pursuant to Quarantine Act 2004 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).

In a previous news, Vanguard reported that the Attorney General, Malami had replied Mr Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, SAN, on his criticism of President Buhari’s proclamation on restriction of movement on account of COVID-19.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, says President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun under lockdown to help stop the spread of coronavirus in the countryis valid, legal and enforceable.

“Mr Olu-Adegboruwa is wrong and misconstrued the law of sections 5, 14, 20 and 45 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sections 2, 6 and 8 of the Quarantine Act, as well as Article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 11 on Human and Peoples Rights which make the declaration by His Excellency the President, valid, legal and enforceable’’.

“Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa had claimed that the president lacked the powers to restrict movements in any part of the country without the consent of the National Assembly.”

[NAN]

Vanguard News Nigeria.

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