Lockdown: Kwara chief judge mandates magistrate courts to determine breaches

The Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Sulyman Kawu, has designated magistrate courts in the state to hear and determine breaches of the lockdown regulation and other related extant laws in the state.

A statement by Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Serifat Bola Olanipekun, in Ilorin yesterday said the development followed the signing of Kwara State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 and the issuance of restriction of both human and vehicular movements order by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

The statement further said the commencement of trial would help to protect lives of the citizenry against the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.

“For the information of relevant stakeholders and members of the public, admittance of offenders/defendants, legal practitioners, prosecutors, and others into the courtrooms shall be strictly on a case-by-case basis and only after they have been subjected to temperature checks, hand-washing, and other sanitary measures put in place at the court premises.

“In addition, sitting arrangements in the courtrooms shall be in strict compliance with the social distancing guidelines issued by the relevant bodies,” the statement said.