Osun govt. may commence building Court of Appeal in 2024 – Solicitor-General

Osun Government may commence the construction of a Court of Appeal in the state in 2024, the newsmen reports.

The state’s Solicitor-General, Mrs Morufat Bello, made the disclosure at the House of Assembly during her ministry’s budget defence on Thursday in Osogbo.

Bello said that having a court of appeal in the state would reduce the cost and stress of the state counsel going to Akure, Ondo State, to file appeals.

According to her, it is imperative to have the appellate court in the state because 70 to 80 per cent of cases emanating from the state are before the court in Akure.

The solicitor-general said that the stress and cost of the state counsel attending to cases in the neighbouring state was becoming unbearable, as many vehicles in her ministry had broken down.

“Even when we get to Akure, because of the location of the appeal court, our lawyers have to board commercial motorcycles to get to the place and whenever they get to court late, they get lambasted,” she said.

Bello said it was even easier when Osun was attending the court of appeal in Ibadan (Oyo State) but going to Akure at this period had become tedious in terms of logistics.

Mr Kanmi Ajibola, the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and Legal Matters, commended the move, saying it would help raise the legal status of the state.

Ajibola said having a court of appeal in the state would also guard against untoward occurrences happening to the lawyers travelling to and fro Akure on legal assignments to the court.

“It is important to have the court of appeal in Osun, as it will also help in quick dispensing of justice,” he said.

The House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Saheed Fatunmise, who chaired the assembly’s joint committees on budget presentation and defence, said that the proposal and budget would be considered.