Abia judges have no official residences – Chief Judge

TVC N. The Chief Judge of Abia, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, has lamented the state of official residences of judges in the state.

Uzokwe made the observation at the opening of the 2016/2017 Legal Year in Umuahia, the state capital.

She said that the official residence provided for her in Umuahia was dilapidated and in a state of disrepair.

“That is why I have been operating from my private residence in Aba. Other judges in the state also operate from their private residences or rented buildings in Aba and Umuahia.

“May the government come to our aid on this matter,” Vanguard quoted her as saying.

Uzokwe also spoke on the need for independence and financial autonomy of the state judiciary.

“In the civilised world, politicians respect and uphold the independence of the judiciary and will not interfere with it under any circumstance”, she noted.

Uzokwe listed other challenges facing the judiciary in the state to include inadequate court halls for the Magistrates’ Courts and dearth of judges in the Customary Courts.

The CJ said absence of a remand home exposed the inmates to many immoral and obscene practices, such as lesbianism, sodomy and sexual abuses, among other social ills.

In his goodwill message, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, called for concerted efforts by the judiciary to cleanse itself of corruption.

Ikpeazu expressed concern over the recent arrest of some judges on corruption charges, saying that the development was a denigration of the nation’s judiciary.

Ikpeazu represented by his deputy, Chief Ude Chukwu, said that the state government had approved a N45, 000 minimum wage, while a committee was inaugurated to consider modalities for the state’s judicial financial autonomy.