TheCable

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has delivered a retrofitted courtroom to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The retrofitted courtroom equipment is intended to address the issues with case adjudication delays.

Handing over the courtroom to Olukayode Ariwoola, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kashim Zannah, Borno chief judge, noted that it is one of the nine recently completed technologically enhanced courtrooms across the country.

The courtrooms, according to Zannah, have been updated with the most cutting-edge technology.

“This is in furtherance of a key plank of the national judicial policy which creates for the judiciary a charter of commitment to promote and ensure the highest possible standard of qualitative justice delivery,” he said on Wednesday.

“This is in furtherance of a key plank of the National Judicial Policy which creates for the judiciary a charter of commitment to promote and ensure the highest possible standard of qualitative justice delivery.

“This is done by providing the latest audio-visual aids, recording and technological advances system as obtainable in most western courts worldwide.

“This retrofitted court is a sharp departure from our regular courts in Nigeria where power cut is a common feature and the attendant sweltering heat; and in some cases, the bar and the bench will have to use flashlight from their mobile devices to read when it’s dark. 

“The courts are adequately provisioned with power backup systems such that you are unlikely to notice any power cut.”

To avoid noise, echoes or reverberations, the courts have been equipped with sound-absorbing acoustic panels.

“We have a professional audio and video recording software solution that records from any type of source and enables full integration with court audio systems and court intranet,” Zannah explained.

“It is flexible and scalable and equally reliable and robust. It captures all activities in the courtroom, with capability for playback and direct reference to the recording by court officials, even remotely.

“This is protected by a world-class firewall and security system to avoid unwarranted access.”

The Borno chief judge added that cases can be heard from any part of the world as the retrofitted courts are equipped with the technology necessary to enable the appearance of remotely located lawyers, witnesses, and defendants.