By Tony Okafor, Awka
Frustration mounted at the Magistrate Court 4, Amawbia, on Thursday as lawyers and litigants protested the repeated adjournment of a case involving human rights activist, Comrade Osita Obi, and the Catholic Diocese of Awka following yet another non-sitting of the court.
The matter, in which the Catholic Diocese of Awka accused Obi of alleged cyberbullying and defamation over comments published on his Facebook page, could not proceed as scheduled because the presiding magistrate was absent.
The case stems from a Facebook publication in which Obi allegedly stated that the Catholic Diocese of Awka was ‘worse than Boko Haram’ for allegedly evicting his wife from a shop without notice and exposing her wares to the rain.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, lawyers, litigants, and other court users who had assembled for proceedings waited for several hours before learning that the court would not sit. No official explanation was provided for the magistrate’s absence.
The development sparked complaints among lawyers and litigants, many of whom described the situation as a recurring challenge that continues to undermine confidence in the administration of justice at the magistrate court level.
Speaking to journalists after the aborted sitting, Obi lamented that the latest adjournment was the fourth occasion his case had been stalled because the court failed to sit without prior notice.
“Today was scheduled for the hearing of the matter between myself and the Catholic Diocese of Awka. Unfortunately, I arrived at the court only to discover after several hours that the court was not sitting. This situation is becoming very worrisome. This is the fourth time the court has failed to sit in relation to my case without any explanation being given,” he said.
The activist called on the Anambra State Government and judicial authorities to urgently reform the magistrates’ court system to improve efficiency and communication with litigants and legal practitioners.
According to him, magistrates’ courts serve the majority of ordinary citizens seeking justice and should not subject litigants to avoidable costs and inconvenience.
“There should be immediate reforms in the magistrates’ court system in Anambra State. What is happening here is not common at the higher courts in the state. It is not proper for litigants to travel all the way from Abuja, Enugu, Lagos and different parts of Anambra State, only to be informed after waiting for several hours that the court will not sit.
“This amounts to a monumental waste of litigants’ time, energy and resources,” Obi said.
He proposed the introduction of advance notification systems through text messages, telephone calls or WhatsApp platforms whenever a court would not be sitting.
“If litigants are informed ahead of time that the court will not sit, they will not have to travel here unnecessarily and waste their time and resources. I am calling on the Attorney-General of Anambra State and the Commissioner for Justice to take a holistic look at the magistrates’ court system and implement immediate reforms in the public interest,” he added.
Obi disclosed that he spent more than three hours at the court premises before learning that proceedings would not hold.
“I have been here for over three hours without any information, only to be told now that the magistrate is not coming. It is very sad. The worst aspect of it is that no reason was given for the absence.
“I am losing a lot because I still have to pay my lawyer, and there are other important engagements I cannot attend because I chose to honour the court process and appear in court as required,” he said.
Some lawyers at the court expressed disappointment over the development, describing frequent non-sittings and last-minute adjournments as a major contributor to delays in the justice delivery system.
They noted that judges in many High Courts usually notify lawyers in advance whenever they are unable to sit, enabling counsel toOsita Obi/Awka Catholic Diocese Case Stalls Again Over Magistrate’s Absence inform their clients and avoid unnecessary travel and expenses.
The lawyers called for improved communication channels, greater accountability and administrative reforms within the magistrates’ court system, arguing that such measures would reduce disruptions, enhance efficiency and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
Obi also referenced judicial reforms introduced in Lagos State during the tenure of former Attorney-General and later Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, urging Anambra authorities to adopt similar innovations to improve court administration, particularly in light of the current economic realities facing Nigerians.
