The recent conviction of Mr. Henry Okah, the leader of defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in South Africa has generated controversy across the nation.
The latest was from a legal luminary Onueze, CJ Okocha, SAN, a one time President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
In an interview with journalists in his office in Port Harcourt, Okocha who recalled the bad activities of Mr. Henry Okah in carrying of arms and ammunition to create annihilation and killing of souls in the country, even after late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua had granted amnesty to militants which most of the ex-militants enjoy presently, noting that despite the fact that he did not follow the proceedings of the judgment of his conviction there were factors responsible for his conviction in South Africa instead of Nigerian.
The legal luminary who attributed the scenario to lack of facilities in Nigerian judiciary that would improve the system, said unless all the parameters are put in place it would be difficult to pass judgment in such environment.
A one time Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice who debunked insinuations that Nigerian lawyers are responsible for the delay of judgment, noted that Nigerian lawyers and judges are doing their best in the delivery of justice and blamed Nigeria leaders for not equipping the judiciary with appropriate facilities to enhance lawyers’ performance which he said would go a long way in preventing delay of delivery of judgment.
According to him, the enabling environment to assist lawyers’ performances is lacking, some of the judges cannot leave where they are located to meet up with the proceedings in court.
There is no improvement in the Nigeria Ministry of Justice “by and large Nigeria supposes to have the best lawyers and judges, but no enabling environment to assist Nigeria judiciary.
The Ikwerre born legal luminary called on Nigeria leaders to ensure proper establishment of the judiciary by funding and equipping it with facilities to enhance the performance of lawyers and judges in the system.
Okah was accused of masterminding the Oct. 1st 2010 independence bombing in Abuja that claimed several lives. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
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