Welcome to the second episode of X-Raying The River where we x-ray different issues bedeviling Cross River State … not necessarily bedeviling, that impact on Cross River State across Cross Riverians of course.
Today, we are focusing on the issues that have affected the magistratesy in Cross River State, talking about Magistrates. For those of you who recall, on the 3rd day of February, 2019, forty-five (45) Magistrates were sworn in by the immediate past Chief Judge of the High Court of Cross River State, Justice Michael Edem (now retired). Twenty nine of them were from the private Bar while others were serving in the employ of the Cross River State Government.
Recently, just a few days back, January 2021 we saw some of this Magistrates who were engaged from the private Bar took to the streets with their rhobes, protesting non numeration since they were sworn in and the Cross River State Government has come out to say, look, these people were not engaged properly.
What are the issues? How has this impacted on the justice system in Cross River State? What does it mean having Magistrates and then not paying them? What other thing is there that may not have been done right?
To x-ray some of the issues bedeviling the judiciary with particular emphasis on the magistratesy, is Prof. Tony Ukam, an Officer of Order of Niger, Legal luminary.
Let’s X-Ray The River.
