Newly appointed magistrates, area court judges take oath of office in Taraba

Three new magistrates and seven Area court judges have been sworn in by the Chief Judge of the Taraba State, Joel Agya.

Performing the swearing-in, on Friday in Jalingo, Agya, tasked the new appointees to always make the right decisions that would serve justice.

He stressed the importance of both Magistrates and Area courts in the administration of justice, warning that they must be impartial and desist from taking sides.

He advised, ”Do not be swayed by popular opinion, as it is not the job of a judge to please everyone and anyone. Let me remind you that the work of a judge requires someone with strong intellect and independent thinking.”

Noting that the magistrates and area courts have the jurisdiction to try both criminal and civil cases in Taraba, he said that 90 percent of the criminal cases that get tried, commence at the magistrates while 80 percent of those cases, also terminate there.

“This is why they are referred to as ‘the grassroots courts’ as they are in direct contact with the population,” he said.

Also speaking, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Yakubu Maikasuwa, called on the newly sworn judges to align themselves with the constitution of the country while discharging their assigned constitutional responsibilities.

Justice Simon Tobi, who spoke on behalf of the new judges, pledged the commitment of his colleagues to the ethics of the bench.