A civil society organisation has raised alarm over what it describes as a deepening crisis in the administration of justice at Magistrates Courts in Enugu State.
The Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, says innocent citizens are being denied justice, extorted, and unlawfully detained.
In a petition to Governor Peter Mbah, CRRAN President, Olu Omotayo, cited two troubling cases.
The first involves Godwin Odey, who was arrested on a murder charge despite having a clear alibi.
The second case concerns Yusuf Omotara, who was detained for nearly a week and had almost N5 million withdrawn from his bank account through a court order.
The petition warned that the justice system is failing ordinary citizens in Enugu State, and that authorities have refused to act promptly on serious human rights violations.
According to CRRAN, Odey, an OND graduate, was arrested while traveling to Abuja.
He was accused of murder even though he was at a wedding in Obollo-Afor, Udenu, when the incident occurred.
The group says the case file has still not been transferred to the Attorney General’s office for review.
This latest petition follows concerns raised earlier by CRRAN and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre.
Both organisations accused the Attorney General’s office of demanding a N50,000 fee before accepting a petition to review Odey’s case. They described the situation as “justice for sale.”
The then Attorney General, Kingsley Udeh, who now serves as a minister, denied the allegation when it was first reported.
However, CRRAN says the new case of Omotara exposes another layer of rot within the system.
They allege that money was removed from Omotara’s account through a court order obtained by a lawyer and a Magistrate Court official.
The group insists this is further evidence of widespread corruption within the lower courts.
CRRAN is demanding immediate action from Governor Mbah.
They want a full investigation, prosecution of those involved, and a refund of the money allegedly taken from Omotara’s account.
They warn that innocent citizens will continue to suffer if the system is not urgently reformed.
The group noted that Magistrates Courts are the closest courts to the people adding that any corruption within them directly affects access to justice across the state.
CRRAN acknowledged that the state has invested heavily in justice sector reforms, but insisted that these efforts will fail unless the illegal acts happening in Magistrates Courts are addressed without delay.
Governor Mbah has not yet responded to the petition and CRRAN is urging him to act swiftly to restore confidence in the justice system and protect citizens from further abuse.
