A Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A. O. Soladoye of Igbosere Magistrates' Court Lagos has served a note of warning to counsels who appear before the court to seek frivolous adjournment in order to delay justice. Magistrate Soladoye gave this warning while presiding over a series of criminal matters before the court today.
She pointed out that it was unprofessional and unethical for counsels to come to court with the excuse that they had just been briefed on the matter and thus unprepared and unable to continue with their cases. The Magistrate emphasized that the Supreme Court had in many cases warned that lawyers who were not prepared for trial should at best not announce their appearance in court.
Mrs Soladoye became infuriated when a lawyer, Mrs T. Teslim-Shittu, who appeared for the defence in suit no. A/01/15 of C.O.P. vs Adekoyejo Martins, told the court that she was unprepared to proceed with the trial because she only had “abridged case file” on the matter. Mrs Teslim-Shittu, who apologized profusely for the delay, said the file was only handed to her this morning.
In the same matter, another counsel, Ms Rose Igwe who had come to watch brief for the complainant, was ordered out of court for improper dressing. Chief Magistrate Soladoye noted that it was not the first time that she had cautioned the lawyer against adorning clothes unbecoming of the noble profession to court. The case was adjourned till 9th of September for trial.
In another development, Chief Magistrate A.O. Soladoye ordered a police prosecutor who entered the courtroom chewing gum out of the court. She expressed concern at the level of indiscipline displayed by the prosecutor.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate rejected the choice of one Mr. Taiwo to stand as a surety. Mrs Soladoye described the man as a tout who had become known for standing as a surety. Mr Taiwo, who claimed he did not understand the English language, interjected when a question was asked in English and without the aid of the interpreter, forcing the Magistrate to stop the interpretation to him. She warned counsels against using touts as sureties.
She pointed out that it was unprofessional and unethical for counsels to come to court with the excuse that they had just been briefed on the matter and thus unprepared and unable to continue with their cases. The Magistrate emphasized that the Supreme Court had in many cases warned that lawyers who were not prepared for trial should at best not announce their appearance in court.
Mrs Soladoye became infuriated when a lawyer, Mrs T. Teslim-Shittu, who appeared for the defence in suit no. A/01/15 of C.O.P. vs Adekoyejo Martins, told the court that she was unprepared to proceed with the trial because she only had “abridged case file” on the matter. Mrs Teslim-Shittu, who apologized profusely for the delay, said the file was only handed to her this morning.
In the same matter, another counsel, Ms Rose Igwe who had come to watch brief for the complainant, was ordered out of court for improper dressing. Chief Magistrate Soladoye noted that it was not the first time that she had cautioned the lawyer against adorning clothes unbecoming of the noble profession to court. The case was adjourned till 9th of September for trial.
In another development, Chief Magistrate A.O. Soladoye ordered a police prosecutor who entered the courtroom chewing gum out of the court. She expressed concern at the level of indiscipline displayed by the prosecutor.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate rejected the choice of one Mr. Taiwo to stand as a surety. Mrs Soladoye described the man as a tout who had become known for standing as a surety. Mr Taiwo, who claimed he did not understand the English language, interjected when a question was asked in English and without the aid of the interpreter, forcing the Magistrate to stop the interpretation to him. She warned counsels against using touts as sureties.
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