In today’s world, the success of any judicial system is measured by its ability to create access to justice and resolve disputes in a fair and timely manner.

The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu made this submission at a two-day workshop on Electronic Evidence and Imperatives for Online Court Hearing organized by the Attorney General Alliance- Africa (AGA-AFRICA) in collaboration with the Ogun State Judiciary in Abeokuta.

Emphasising on the emergence of the E-Justice tool in the Judicial system, Hon. Justice Dipeolu disclosed that courts had been conservative until the covid-19 pandemic hit the world and exposed the use of technology.

“With the advent of technology, the judiciary worldwide are trying and gradually keying into the emergence of e-justice which is the use of technology, information and communication to improve access to justice and effective judicial action” his Lordship stated.

The Chief Judge thereafter stressed the need to improve on the existing laws to accommodate the modalities for online trial as it relates to tendering of documents and other forms of exhibits viz a viz its admissibility and custody.

His Lordship however, admonished the participants to embrace the concept of e-justice towards achieving a transparent and effective justice delivery system in Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

Earlier, a partner in the firm of PUNUKA Attorneys and solicitors, Mrs Ebelechukwu Enedah applauded the Ogun State Judiciary under the leadership of his Lordship Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu for the giant strides attained in embracing the use of technology in the delivery of justices in the State.

Mrs Enedah also implored other States’ Judiciary to key into the use of modern technology tools that can be deployed to reduce backlog of cases and reduce the menace of delays in courts, adding that the training of Judges, the Judicial Research Officers and Court Registrars in the State was aimed at development of capacity and ensuring that justice is available to masses through the use of technology.