The Rivers judiciary says it has never engaged in unlawful collection or extortion of money from people, but acts in accordance with the law as an organ of government charged with the responsibility of interpreting the laws and punishing law offenders or breakers.
The Rivers judiciary was reacting swiftly to a press statement which alleged that the office of the Rivers Chief Judge demands N500 and N1000 for letters.
In a statement made available to Judiciary Press Corp, the Rivers Judiciary debunked the said allegation describing it as obnoxious, vexations, fallacies and provocative attempted to cause distractions and mislead unsuspecting litigants.
The statement reads “it is not true that currently, the office of the Rivers State Chief Judge is asking Rivers people and other Nigerians that need to submit letters to this office to pay amounts ranging from N500 to N1000 before such letter or letters should be received, adding that “the High Court of Rivers State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2010 spells out categories of payments as court fees for applications, letters, affidavits, judgments, orders, security bonds, warrants and writs, second schedule which include transfer of cases as well as fees payable among others. And that these fees vary from N500.00 upward depending on the situation and have been in existence and was not introduced by the present Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice A. I. Iyayi Lamikanra”.
The statement went further to explain that, “on an order transferring a civil case before the High Court from one judge to another, or to Magistrate Court etc where the order is made in the application of a party, the fee payable is N1000. Any letter of complaint requiring the attention of the Chief Judge is N500.00,” pointing out fees payable to the High Court entering an appeal to the Court of Appeal on a matter of law is N2,000.00. The fees are mandatory”.
According to the judiciary management every fee is paid into the coffers of the Rivers State government and not the confers of the Rivers State judiciary”.
The management advised journalists to always cross check their facts before going to press. ###
