A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Governing Council of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Wole Olanipekun has admonished legal practitioners to always be bold, firm and polite to judges in defending their clients. Olanipekun who gave the advice at an event in Abuja commended the judgment of the Supreme Court that acquitted his client, a former Naval Officer convicted of crime by a court martial.
Olanipekun emphasized the importance of having an effective justice system in Nigeria, saying injustice against many citizens had been remedied by the decision of incorruptible judges.
Speaking at the unveiling of a book on the life of a former Naval Officer, Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti who was convicted for allegedly letting a seized ship to escape but later acquitted by the Supreme Court, Olanipekun noted that the injustice against the officer was corrected due to the impartiality of the Apex Court justices.
Olanipekun further advised lawyers to always be firm and polite to judges in presenting their arguments. Stakeholders here are of the view that while many judicial officers are carrying out their duties in line with the constitution, other bad eggs are tarnishing the image of the nation’s judiciary.
