Frustration has set in for lawyers and relations of inmates in Delta State as the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division, declined to issue out hearing notices of cases due to the absence of Justice M.O Sani, a newly posted Judge to the court. The court officials told lawyers, litigants and relatives of Inmates in prison custody that there was no hearing notices because the judge was not available and they could not issue out hearing notices except with the approval of the judge.
The National Judicial Council has been accused of failing to disclose the outcome of its investigation into petitions bordering on the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of judicial officers who are suspected child traffickers in Delta State despite acknowledging the petitions.
The Federal High Court Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, has posted a new judge to the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division, after SaharaReporters exposed how the court had no presiding judge since September and cases were delaying and piling up. Going by the posting, relatives and friends of the awaiting trial inmates have called on the newly posted judge, Justice I.M. Sani to grant bail to innocent inmates incarcerated in prison by “powerful” individuals.
The absence of a judge has stalled the hearing application to dismiss the frivolous cyber stalking charges preferred against the Delta State Take-It-Back Back Coordinator, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, who has been illegally detained for over 15 months. SaharaReporters learnt that the case slated for 13/11/2023 could not be heard as a result of the absence of a sitting Judge. SaharaReporters had on October 23 reported how the Federal High Court in Warri Judicial Division, Delta State, failed to resume sitting after the annual leave due to lack of a presiding judge.
The Delta State Coordinator of the Pro-democracy and human rights group, TakeIt-Back, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho has filed for the dismissal of the frivolous cyberstalking charges preferred against him by one P. N. Etumudon Esq. at the Registry of the Warri Division of the Federal High Court. The charges were filed on July 21, 2022.