Update: Lawyers Bar Osun Chief Judge from Entering Court

The Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo was on Thursday barred from entering the premises of Osun State High court by lawyers who are protesting the recent increment in suit filling in the state judiciary.

Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo

The lawyers had begun the protest on Monday in Ilesa and Tuesday in Osogbo by boycotting the courts.

According to the lawyers, the state government has increased writ of summon from N4, 000 to N40, 000 while a divorce petition has also jumped from N3, 000 to N25, 000 and Oath was increased from N200 to N1000.

The lawyers accused the state government of commercializing justice and denying the masses access to justice because of the high charges on the suit filing.

Chief Registrar of the court, Mr Lawrence Arojo addressing journalists during the protest.

Justice Ojo’s vehicle was stopped by the lawyers who had locked the entrance gate of the court around 11a.m

CityMirrorNews learnt that Justice Ojo instructed the lawyers to open the gate but the legal practitioners refused, a development that infuriated the chief judge.

She told the lawyers to address their grievance through appropriate mechanism, instead of harassing the judicial officers.

Justice Ojo also told the lawyers to allow workers who were already in the court before the gate was locked to go out.

Journalists at the entrance of the Osogbo High Court.

Chief Registrar of the court, Mr Lawrence Arojo appealed to the lawyer be calm, saying that the CJ is an administrative officer of the judiciary and her work is to administrate and seek the welfare of the judicial officers.

According to Arojo, the lawyer should have made several mechanism before resorting to the closure of the court’s gate.