Plateeau: Court threatens to strike out 29 abadoned cases

From Ron Jacob, Jos.
A Jos Magistrate Court on Thursday threatened to strike out 29 cases seemingly abandoned by litigants, whose attitudes it described as shocking and disturbing.
The Court gave the litigants, their counsels, and prosecutors up to July 30, 2018 to pursue the cases or have them struck out for lack of diligent prosecution.
Out of the 29 cases being presided over by Magistrate Simi Drenkat, 15 are criminal while 14 are civil.
The Court made the threat in a notice placed on the notice board of the State High Court Premises, and signed by the Registrar, Ms Martha John.
A Judicial Officer, who did not want his name in print told Everyday.ng that the threat became imperative in view of the fact that this year’s vacation would commence on Aug. 1, 2018.
“Usually when the legal year is ending, judges and magistrates do look at all cases before them and weed out those whose ligatigants are not serious with to do away with them.
“Such abandoned cases usually serve as obstacles to speedy trials of cases, ’’ the officer said.
According to the source, such notices were common with virtually all the courts across the nation and the world.
The officer said that if such cases are allowed to continue, they only keep enjoying adjournments which only end up slowing down trials of serious-minded litigants and delay justice.
“As it is now, every judge or magistrate is trying to clear his or her table before embarking on vacation; when next they resume, they will start on a clean and proper slate, ’’ the officer further explained.