- Says 70 cases before Appeal, Supreme Courts
From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State government has disclosed that it was able to unfreeze its 33 bank accounts domiciled in various financial institutions through re- negotiations with 11 organisations who were claimants.
Attorney General of the State and Commissioner of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Dr.Junaidu Bello Marshall stated this while speaking with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on the ministry’s achievements recorded in the past eight months of Governor Nasir Idris administration.
Marshall said: “this administration met many unresolved civil cases that led to Garnishee Orders attaching 33 Kebbi State government’s accounts domiciled with 11 various Financial Institutions for the satisfaction of the total Judgment Debt plus interests.
“The Ministry was facing many challenges on how to resolve these civil cases. However,approval was given by His Excellency and all those cases were re-negotiated and cleared by paying off those debts as ordered by the Court. At present,no Kebbi State government account is under any attachment by Court order”.
Marshall also disclosed that the state government had paid off over N1 billion to various schools to settle the examination fees of 169 students whose certificates were seized for inability of the state government to pay for their fees.
While speaking on the payment of witnesses expenses and appeal cases,the State AG explained that, the present administration has continue to give regular approvals for quarterly witness expenses with a view to ensuring that his Chamber,have adequate resources to mobilise witnesses to give testimonies from across the state and beyond without difficult.
He said: “the Ministry has recorded a total number of 853 criminal cases, Motions,Bail Applications and Legal Advice since the inception of this Administration. The Ministry is presently handling 80 Appeal Cases pending before the Kebbi State High Court of Justice as well as 70 cases at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
“Within the period under review,we have vetted more than 200 case diaries forwarded for Legal Advise from relevant Law Enforcement Agencies,out of which few were terminated for want of evidence and majorities were advised to be prosecuted”.
He added that to hasten Justice delivery services in the state, the state governor,gave approval for the recruitment of new Law Officers to prosecute numerous cases the state have across the country.
“At the inception of this administration,the Ministry had 27 Law Officers throughout the state,which were gross inadequate to prosecute numerous cases at the Ministry.
“In view of the shortage of Law Officers,His Excellency approved the recruitment of 10 new counsel for the state. These ten State Counsels together with the other Counsels on transfer had resumed office and already received new Laptops and 2024 wardrobe/ Outfit allowances from the government,” he said.