Oshiomhole scraps customary court of appeal

The Edo state government on Tuesday repealed the act establishing the customary court of appeal in the state.

Adams Oshiomhole, governor of the state, who signed the ammendment bill into law, said that the customary court of appeal had ceased to exist in Edo.

He said with the development, the judges in the court were automatically transferred to the state high court, thereby increasing the number of the high court judges from 24 to 30.

He explained that more judges were needed in the high courts for quick dispensation of justice.

Oshiomhole noted that it was unthinkable that not less than 6000 cases were hitherto pending before only 24 judges of the high court.

He said the new high court judges would now have the opportunity of hearing diverse cases and not just the appeals from the customary courts and the area courts.

He noted that, although, the law requires that the judges be sworn-in, they would retain their seniority.

He added that the amendment was in the best interest of the state, explaining that appeals from the area courts and the customary courts would be entertained by judges of the high courts as assigned to by the chief judge.