Judge Chastises Bailiff Over Delay In Serving Court Processes
Justice Olatunde Oyajimi of a Sagamu High Court, Ogun State, has expressed concerns over delays in service of court processes by bailiff of the court.
The judge who frown at the bailiffs’ conduct, while presiding over a land matter between Mr Adesola Soloru, Mrs Olawunmi Muinat Odufolakun who sued for themselves and as a representative of Ayisatu Ogunsowo (nee Oyekan) of Madam Jeminatu Oyekan deceased children against Mrs Funmilayo Odumuyiwa and Sanusi Oyekan in the suit delineated HCS/165/2017.
Justice Oyajinmi ordered the court’s Chief Registrar to issue a query to the bailiff accused of delaying cases in court for not putting the proof of service of processes in court filed.
When the case was called on Thursday, counsel to the parties argued that they mobilized the bailiff for service of court processes, but they were surprised that the proof was not in court file for over months that bailiff effect the services.
The claimants’ counsel, Mr Babatunde Oshilaja told court that he was in court a day before to proceedings to ascertain from the registry if the processes filed were in court.
“We have a pending application dated August 26,2020 and file same day. Same application was served on the defendant but no reaction. I served through bailiff. I even came to court yesterday to make sure that all our processes are before the court.”
The Court Registrar equally testified that Oshilaja came to confirm all the processes.
So also, the defendant counsel, Mrs Lucy Isaac told court that she was surprised, that the application was not serve on their chambers even the office within jurisdiction.
The judge had to search through the big and bulky file which took him so much time and discovered that bailiff did not furnished court with proof of service on counsel on both sides at different times which made the court to adjourned the case.
The development made the angry judge to send the registrar to the bailiff section to call the particular officer, but the registrar reported back that he was not in office.
Justice Oyajinmi said that the bailiff’s conduct delayed cases that could have been dispense off.
He therefore ordered the Chief Registrar to issue him query and directed parties to serve themselves processes in the open court.
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