Society Gists

The management of the Ogun State Judiciary has debunked an allegation of threat to the life of Hon. Justice Olusola Oloyede of Ota Judicial Division, which reportedly caused him to flee his official residence.

It would be recalled that a family source allegedly told a national newspaper, which was reported on 31s of May, 2020 that Justice Oloyede now resides in a rented apartment in the town with three other tenants.

The report led TheNigeriaLawyer(TNL) to make a similar publication dated 31st May, 2020.

Reacting to the report in a statement titled; “Putting The Records Straight” the Management of the Ogun State Judiciary debunked the allegations.

“The attention of the Management of Ogun State Judiciary has been drawn to an online article circulated via the NigeriaLawyer.com captioned ‘Ogun State Judge Alleges Threat To Life, Flees Official Residence.’

“In the said article, it was stated that a ‘relative’ to Hon. Justice Oloyede alleged that the official residence of the Hon. Judge is not fit to be inhabited by a human being and that all requests to get the Ogun State Judiciary to make it habitable for the judge proved abortive.

“It stated in one breadth that the Hon. Judge now lives in a rented apartment with other tenants in Ota and in another breadth, it equally stated that the Hon. Judge commutes from his private residence in Abeokuta to Ota on a daily basis amongst other fabricated lies,” they said in the statement.

They said further in the statement that the estate in which the Judges of Ota Judicial Division reside is a well fenced residential premises, which they said has a security post where policemen are posted to on a 24 hour guard duty.

Secondly, according to the statement, five of the seven Hon. Judges of Ota Judicial Division reside within the estate, which they insisted equally accommodates all the Magistrates sitting in Ota Magisterial District and some supporting staff. These apartments are well furnished and befitting of the status of the occupiers.

“Thirdly, the Hon Justice Oloyede is a former Chief Registrar of the Ogun State Judiciary, who before his appointment presided over the renovations and maintenance of the estate and got the Judges Quarters and Court ready for NJC inspection amongst his other duties as the then Chief Registrar.

“It is therefore surprising to the Management to read of such a mischievous complaint coming from a ‘relative” of Hon Justice Oloyede.

“Furthermore, it is not within the knowledge of the Management that such a threat exists to the life of the Judge,” the statement read.

It was added in the statement that assuming, while not conceding that the contents of the article were true, it is not within the knowledge of the Management that Hon Justice Oloyede did write to the Hon. Chief Judge of Ogun State complaining of any inadequacies in his official quarters.

It was pointed out that it was not within the knowledge of Management also that Hon Justice Oloyede either lives in a rented apartment or commutes on a daily basis from his private residence in Abeokuta to Ota.

They added that it was certain and known to Management that Hon. Justice Oloyede resides within the estate in Ota.

“Finally, on the issue of threat to the life of Hon Justice Oloyede as alleged in the article, Management wishes to state that no report of such threat was made to the Hon. Chief Judge and/or the Police by Hon Justice Oloyede or anybody for that matter to warrant a commensurate action to be taken in that regard,” it was added in the statement.

The Management of the state’s judiciary then urged all members of the public to disregard the information.

“We hereby call upon the general public to disregard the article as offered by the faceless relative of Hon. Justice Oloyede.

“The Ogun State Judiciary has, at no time, taken with levity the security of Hon Judges and the entire staff of the Judiciary and does not intend to start same now as regards any of its personnel.

“It should be noted that TheNigeriaLawyer(TNL) is reputably known for her track record of diligence, honesty, transparency and investigative journalism. On no account would it publish without due diligence.

“Therefore, publications are duly verified by TheNigeriaLawyer(TNL) and in this present case, since the news was first reported by Sunday Independent, a reputable source and was allegedly confirmed to it by “a family source,” it became expedient to accept same as a verified news,” the statement read.