More than 1,000 criminal and civil cases at various high courts in the country are expected to start afresh following the elevation of 18 judges to the Court of Appeal.
The elevated judges are Mohammed Danjuma (Grand Kadi, Niger State), Kenneth Amadi (Imo State High Court), Peter Affen (FCT High Court), Sybil Gbagi (Lagos State High Court), and Bola Ademola (Ondo State High Court) just to mention a few
It was gathered that among those whose cases were affected were those facing high profile fraud charges.
In the past, judges, who were elevated to the Court of Appeal were – based on the Administration of Criminal Act – were given fiat to continue sitting on criminal cases that had reached a substantial level at the high court.
However, in May 2020, the Supreme Court in the case of former Governor Orji Kalu nullified Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which made it possible for the Justices to continue handling the cases after their elevation to the Court of Appeal bench. Based on the judgment, the cases being handled by the newly elevated judges will now have to start afresh.
