No doubt the maxim “Justice delayed is justice denied” still remains very relevant as far as justice administration is concern anywhere in the world.
The Oscar Pistorious case like that of OJ Simpson is one of the few cases in the world history that have generated a lot of interest and attention all over the world.
The Oscar Pistorious case has generated a lot of international attention not because of the crux of the matter for adjudication but because of the person of the accused as a rear Olympic champion considering his natural disability.
The purpose of this comment is not about the person of the accused and the interest the case has generated but rather about justice administration in Nigeria and the world over.
The speed at which the trial was conducted and the role of each dramatis personae in the case draws local and international applause from keen followers of the case. Each of the dramatis personae in the case carried out their duties with high level of decorum, integrity and regard for the right of the deceased and the accused
The Oscar Pistorious case has once again brought into fore how justice dispensation anywhere in the world should and ought to be in any given circumstance.
As I was thinking and analyzing the trial of Oscar Pistorious my mind quickly flashed back to the case of Cynthia Osokogu a daughter of a retired military general who was brutally and callously murdered in a hotel in Festac Town Lagos by her supposed facebook lovers who lured her from Abuja to Lagos. She was raped, robbed and brutally killed in the process on July 22, 2012.
This particular case that equally generated a lot of anger and sympathy in the country has been on for more than two years now without a clue as to what the parties to the case has in stock for those that are interested in the case. In spite of the fact the prosecutors have ample evidences to aid the prosecutors and the court in ensuring that the case is quickly disposed off and the culprits punished appropriately or set free as the court deemed fit the case has continue to drag on endlessly without qualms.
Justice administration in Nigeria has become a nightmare and those that are charged with administration and dispensation of justice have become a clog in the wheel of justice administration in the country.
Nigerian courts at all level have become courts of clown and jesters where justice is given to those that can afford to pay. Cases are won not because the prosecutors, counsels and judges are doing what is right but rather our judicial system has become a kangaroo arrangement where decorum has gone to the dogs.
It is a known fact that Nigerian judges, counsels and prosecutors connive to prolong cases in the courts and only for the judges to turn round and complain about congested courts and prisons across the length and breadth of the country.
Most times matters that are supposed to end on the desk of divisional police officer are brought before court to deny the people their right especially when complainants and respondents are not ready to play ball. The gullible judges too, knowing well that they can manipulate the parties in the matter for pecuniary gains will sit to adjudicate over such useless matters at the expenses of other matter that require urgent and necessary attention.
Therefore major lesson to be learnt in the Oscar Pistorious case is that any country where justice and rule of law are misplaced can never compete in the comity of nations that sees rule of law as a tool to advance social, political and economic justices.
It is pertinent to note that all the parties involved in Oscar Pistorious case conducted themselves in a manner befitting of law and justice administrators. Those Charged with justice administration and dispensation in Nigeria should know that Nigeria as a country can no longer afford to sit back and watch other nations progressing socially, politically and economically.
No foreign investors and partners will want to play in the market where the rules and regulations is nothing but a charade. They will never and will never invest any where in the world where there is no decorum and huge investments can be lost to scammers and hash economic reality with no hope of getting succor from a constituted authority.
We have got to a level where outsiders sees Nigeria as country where those that are charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order are themselves law breaker and where they are not breaking laws themselves they are encouraging and at times sponsored cronies to break law and assist them to go scot free.
In this era of globalization no nation that pamper crime and criminal activities especially economic crime can attract foreign direct investment that will stimulated economic growth and development with the attendant employment generation and an enhanced income and standard of living with less dependence and expectation from the government.
AKINYOGBON OJO
