•  
  •  
 

Abstract

The Presidential Declaration of Corona Virus Disease 19 as a ‘dangerous contagious disease’ occasioned the emergence of several regulations imposing restrictions on movements and social distancing measures. The Chief Justice of Nigeria and other heads of court also approved the Guidelines and Practice Directions containing modalities for virtual court sessions. This paper aims to examine the legal implications of virtual court session. The traditional requirement that court sessions should be held in places open to the public signifies a constitutional disapproval of virtual court sessions. It is contended that Practice Directions and Guidelines are weak mechanisms for entrenching virtual court sessions in Nigeria since they are within the lowest rung of the hierarchy of laws. Hence, the reform needs to be holistic. It should entail amendment of certain provisions of the constitution, laws, and rules of courts to enable a virtual innovation without legal hiccups. In alternative to constitutional amendment which usually takes long, this work, in addition to predicting the decision of the apex court on six grounds, suggests the immediate need for a judicial intervention in interpreting the constitutionality of virtual court session. This is to put to rest the fear harboured by some individuals that the serious judicial efforts put in by judges and counsel via virtual court sessions would end up becoming a nullity on appeal to the apex court.


DOI: https://doi.org/10.22304/pjih.v9n2.a7

References

Books

Dawuni, J. Jarpa. Gender, Judging and the Courts in Africa: Selected Studies. Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2021.

Fabricant, Judith. Superior Court Operations During the Public Health Emergency Arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Applicable to All Courts. United States of America: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Superior Court, 2020.

Jackson, Brain A. Superior Court Operations During the Public Health Emergency Arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Applicable to All Courts. USA: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Superior Court, 2020.

Jurva, Gina. The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on State & Local Courts Study 2021: A Look at Remote Hearings, Legal Technology, Case Backlogs, and Access to Justice. London: Thomson Reuters, 2021.

Mulcahy, Linda. “Virtual Poverty? What happens when Criminal Trials Go Online?.” in Dave Cowan and Ann Mumford. Pandemic Legalities: Legal Responses to COVID-19 Justice and Social Responsibility. Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2021.

Other Documents

ACAPS. “ACAPS Thematic Report: Covid-19 in Nigeria (2020).” ACAPS, April 3, 2022. https://www.acaps.org/sites/acaps/files/products/files/20200526_acaps_thematic_report_covid19_in_nigeria.pdf.

Ailemen, A. “FG Steps up Action Against Rape, as 799 People Arrested.” Business Day, March 11, 2022. https://businessday-ng.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/businessday.ng/security/ article/fg-steps-up-action-against-rape-as-799-people-arrested.

Awomolo, A. “Reviewing the Constitutionality of Virtual Hearings Publicity in the Context of Nigeria’s Technological Advancements.” The Nigeria Lawyers, May 10, 2022. https://thenigerialawyer.com/reviewing-the-constitutionality-of-vitrual-hearings-publicity-in-the-context-of-nigerias-technological-advancements/.

Azi, Fatima Waziri. “Legal Framework of Witness Protection Measures During Criminal Trial in Nigeria and Emerging Practices.” European Journal of Research in Social Sciences 7, no. 1 (2019): 1-12. http://www.idpublications.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Full-Paper-LEGAL-FRAMEWORK-OF-WITNESS-PROTECTION-MEASURES-DURING-CRIMINAL-TRIAL-IN-NIGERIA.pdf.

Daniels, Ajiri. “Breaking: Supreme Court Declares Virtual Court Sittings Constitutional.” The Sun, May 11, 2022. https://www.sunnewsonline.com/breaking-supreme-court-declares-virtual-court-sittings-constitutional/.

Department of Justice Canada. “There Ought to be Law Instrument Choice: An Overview of the Issues.” Government of Canada, May 7, 2022. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/rp02_10-dr02_10/p2.html.

Emuobo, Emudainohwo. “Appraising the Constitutionality of Virtual Courts in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.” Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journal of International Law and Jurisprudence 12, no. 1 (2021): 16-24. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/naujilj/article/view/206730.

Erezi, Dennis. “Man Gets Death Sentence as Lagos Holds Virtual Court Session.” The

Evans, Ibingo Inyo. “Right to Fair Hearing in Nigeria Under the Imperatives of Covid-19 Control.” Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journal of International Law and Jurisprudence 12, no. 1 (2021): 75-89. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/naujilj/article/view/206734.

Guardian, March 3, 2022. https://guardian.ng/news/man-gets-deathsentence-as Lagosholds.virtual-court-session/.

Henseler, Martin, et.al. “Economic impacts of COVID-19 on the Tourism Sector in Tanzania.” Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights 3, no. 1 (2022): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100042.

Joseph, Onyekwere. “Experts Examine Merits, Demerits of Virtual Court Hearings in Nigeria.” The Guardian, March 10, 2022. https://guardian.ng/features/experts-examine-merits-demerits-of-virtual-court-hearings-in-nigeria/.

Kenna Partners. “Constitutionality of Virtual Proceedings vis-a-vis Rulings of the Supreme Court in Re: Sc/Cv/260/2020 – Attorney General of Lagos State v Attorney General of The Federation & The National Assembly; and Sc/Cv/261/2020 – Attorney General of Ekiti State v. Attorney General of The Federation & 2 others.” Kenna Partners, March 21, 2022. https://kennapartner.com/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/CONSTITUTIONALITY-OF-VIRTUAL-PROCEEDINGS-VIS-A-VIS-THE RULINGS-OF-THE-SUPREME-COURT-1.pdf.

Law TV News. “The Constitutionality or otherwise of the Virtual Hearing Proceedings.” Law TV News, April 11, 2022. https://lawtvnews.com/opinion/the-constitutionality-orother wise-of the-virtual-hearing-proceedings/?utm_source=RevivOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost/.

Majemite, Emuobonuvie A, and Okorie Kalu. “The Covid-19 Directives of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and State of-the Judiciary.” Punuka.com, March 6, 2022. https://punuka.com/the-covid-19-directives-of-the-chief-justice-of-nigeria-and-state-of-the-judiciary.

Musa, Salihu Sabiu, et.al. “COVID-19 and Lassa fever in Nigeria: A Deadly Alliance?.” International Journal of Infectious Disease 45, no. 117 (2022): 45-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.058.

National Judicial Council. “Re: National Judicial Council COVID-19 Policy Report: Guidelines for Court Sittings and Related Matters in the COVID-19 Period.” National Judicial Council, March 13, 2022. https://njc.gov.ng/30/news-details.

Nigerian Judiciary Information Technology Policy (NJITP) 2012. “JITPO Policy Document.” Nigerian Judiciary Information, May 11, 2022. https://nji.gov.ng/Images/PDF/JITPO_PolicyDocument.pdf.

Nnochiri, Ikechukwu. “Catholic Church Bombing: Court Sentences ‘Kabiru Sokoto’ to Life Imprisonment.” Vanguard, May 11, 2022. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/catholic-church-bombing-court-sentences-kabiru-sokoto-lifeimprisonment/.

Ntrakwah, Nana Yaw. “Litigation and Technology: Making the Case for Virtual Courts in Ghana.” Ntrakwah & Co, April 8, 2020. https://ntrakwahandco.com/litigationand-technology-making-the-case-for-virtual-courts-in-ghana/.

Nwakasi, Candidus, et.al. “Factors Influencing Compliance with Public Health Directives and Support for Government’s Actions Against Covid-19: A Nigerian Case Study.” Scientific Paper African, no. 15 (2022): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e01089.

Nwankwo, Chioma Bernadine. “A Legal Critique of the Federal High Court (Federal Inland Revenue Service) Practice Directions, 2021 as it Relates to Taxpayers Rights.” Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journal of Commercial and Property Law 9, no 1, (2022): 156-162. https://journals.unizik.edu.ng/index.php/jcpl/article/view/1015/854.

Oluseun, Adebowale Oluwawemimo, et.al. “Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19 Pandemic) in Nigeria: Multi-Institutional Survey of Knowledge, Practices and Perception Amongst Undergraduate Veterinary Medical Students.” PloS ONE 16, no. 3 (2021): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248189.

Rosemary, Oji Ngozika. “Nigeria: Are Virtual Court Hearings Constitutional”. IMT International Journal of the Arts and Sciences 3, no. 4 (2020): 1-16. http://imtijotas.org.ng/sites/default/files/PDF/Virtual-Remote%20Hearing.pdf.

The Nation. “Supreme Court Voids Council Dissolution in Katsina, Oyo.” The Nation, May 11, 2022. https://thenationonlineng.net/updated-supreme-court-voids-council-dissolution-in-katsina-oyo/.

Umah, Onyekachi. “The First Virtual Court Hearing was in Borno State and Not in Lagos State.” SabiLaw, March 21, 2022. https://learnnigerianlaws.com/the-first-virtual-court-hearing-was-in-borno-state-and-not-in-lagos-state-daily-law-tips-tip-579-by-onyekachi-umah-esq-llm-aciarbuk/.

Legal Documents

A.G. Bendel State v. A.G. Federation [1981] Nigerian Supreme Court Cases 314.

Attorney-General No. 2 v. Tsatsu Tsikata (No.2) [2002] JELR 68281 (SC).

Attorney-General of Bendel State v. Attorney-General of the Federation & others (SC 17 of 1981) [1981] Nigeria Supreme Court 4.

Buhari v INEC (2008) 19 Nigerian Weekly Law Report (Pt. 1120) 236, 341-342.

C.M. & E.S. Ltd v. Pazan Services Nig. Ltd (2020) 1 Nigerian Weekly Law Report (Pt. 1704) 70, 95.

Lagos State Judiciary.

Macpherson v. Macpherson [1936] Appeal Cases 177, 220.

Nafiu Rabiu v. Kano State [1980] LCN/1088 (SC).

Nigerian Airways Authority v. Okoro (1995) 7 Supreme Court of Nigeria Judgement 292, 301.

Nwankwo v Yar’ Adua & Ors (2010) 12 Nigerian Weekly Law Report (Pt. 1209) 518.

Oviasu v. Oviasu (1973) 11 Supreme Court (Reprint) 187.

Owuru v. Awuse (2004) All Federation Weekly Law Report 1425, 1439.

Simon Ebido v. State [2007] Law Pavilion Electronic Law Reports 1012 (Supreme Court).

State v. Ali Mohammed, Suit No. BOHC/MG/CR/115/19, 2020.

The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The Anti Torture Act, Act No 21.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

The Evidence Act 2011, E 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria

The High Court of Lagos State Practice Direction for Remote Hearing of Cases in the

The Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013.

University of Lagos v. Aigoro (1984) 11 Supreme Court 152, 159.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.22304/pjih.v9n2.a7

Download

Share

COinS