Settlement is better than litigation, says Judge

A Gudu Upper Area Court judge in Abuja, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, says settlement is better than litigation.

He said this in court on Tuesday while adjourning a public disturbance and nuisance hearing filed against nine men.

Kagarko adjourned the case till June 26 for settlement.

“Anytime settlement comes, we always welcome it,’’ quoting relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to support his point.

The defendants are Gabriel Adediji, Mba Johnson, Paul Oseh, Ali Kareem, Francis Chukwu, Okadigbo Okadigbo, Tadex Taiwo, Biodun Olowu and Akeem Abioye, with age range between 34 and 46.

All the nine men, traders of Area 7 shopping complex, Garki, are facing trial on two-count charge of inciting disturbance and continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue.

However, they pleaded not guilty on April 3, the day of their first arraignment in court, and were granted N50,000 bail each, with a reliable surety in like amount.

The prosecutor, Mr Fidelis Ogbobe, told the court that “the parties involved are making frantic efforts to settle the matter’’.

Ogbobe filed an oral application, giving the parties involved time to settle the matter.

Earlier, the prosecutor told the court that the complainant, one Lanre Ajayi, Chairman of Area 7 Traders Association, Garki, reported the matter at the Garki police station on March 31.

Ogbobe said the complainant had alleged that the defendants incited people in the market against the traders’ association executives to protest inadequate power supply in the shopping complex.

“They were invited to the police station and advised to go and maintain peace, but they all neglected the warnings and continued to incite disturbances and nuisance in the market,’’ he said.

He also said this led to a breach of public peace and breakdown of law and order in the market place.

Ogbobe said the offence is contrary to sections 114 and 119 of the Penal Code.