Oyo judiciary debunks deduction of magistrates, staff’s salaries

The Oyo State Judiciary has debunked allegations that it deducted salaries payable to Magistrates and Presidents of Grade A Customary Courts in Oyo State, describing the information as completely false and mischievous.

The judiciary, speaking through the Chief Registrar, Mrs Olumide Ogunrin, on Tuesday stated that no such thing happened and no deductions were made from the salaries of Magistrates and staff while reacting to a statement by the leadership and entire members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Branch, signed by its chairman, Ibrahim Lawal, Esq.

The NBA had alleged that its attention was drawn to the alleged deductions of salaries payable to Magistrates and Presidents of Grade A Customary Courts in Oyo State, adding that current news on salary deductions cannot be treated as purely administrative.

It added that it touches on the core of the dispensation of justice and those affected by the deductions are the nearest to the ordinary people as any disruption in the onerous duties assigned to them by law will impact on them negatively.

It said the leadership and the entire members of the NBA, Ibadan Branch, are worried and saddened by the unpleasant development affecting the arm of government saddled with onerous responsibilities bordering on the dispensation of justice.

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The NBA added that “there is no gain asserting the obvious that our Magistrates and Presidents of Customary Courts perform very sensitive duties. They adjudicate on important matters at the lowest layer of the society.

“Therefore, issues of their welfare must be treated with utmost seriousness. The State cannot afford a total shutdown of the judicial space.

“We demand an explanation from the relevant government agencies on the propriety of these deductions, following the knowledge of substantial increment in the federal allocations to all the States of Federation, including Oyo State.

“It has been our unpleasant duty to engage the government on issues of welfare for the judiciary.

“We had informed the Governor of the deplorable conditions under which these public servants undertake their duties.

“We have apprised the Government of the disgraceful and embarrassing practice wherein these officers struggle with commuters, sometimes litigants and defendants standing trial, to join public transport to courts, among other privations which they have had to bear with equanimity.

“We call on the Governor of Oyo State to look into the allegation on deductions of the salaries of the following categories of judicial personnel in the State,” it added.

However, the judiciary stated that the allegation was misconstrued and misrepresented, adding that “our attention has been drawn to the Press Release by the Chairman, NBA Ibadan branch, Mr Ibrahim Lawal, alleging deductions in the salaries of staff of the Oyo State Judiciary.

“We wish to state categorically that no such deductions were made from the salaries of Magistrates and staff.

“The allegation was misconstrued and misrepresented. It is hereby debunked in its entirety,” the judiciary stated.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE