By Ademola Orubon
The Ogun state Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu has charged the magistrates in the state to be digital compliant as the world has gone beyond analogue in addressing issues of life.
Justice Dipeolu made this known at the opening address of 2 – day training of magistrates on Digital and Evidence eDiscovery Law Practice in Nigeria, held at High Court Complex Hall, Kobape Road, Abeokuta.
She said that training and re-training of judiciary staff was a mojor focus of her administration, noting that since assumption of office as the Chief Judge of the state, it has been one of her cardinal principles to make continuous learning a priority.
She said “there are different training programmes for all cadres of staff; and I have tremendously increased the number of Judges that attended local and international courses.
“We have also just finished a day’s training for Bailiffs, Process Servicers and Litigation Officers; and a 3-day First Aid Training is in the pipeline for all Judges and Magistrates, this is in addition to today’s training.”
She said that technology has revolutionized the method, ease, speed and time with which it conduct peoples’ activities, noting that business transactions were conducted faster, learning and teaching were richer, and the legal profession was generally better positioned, which should not lag behind.
“Indeed, we all know and pride ourselves with the fact that the legal profession is a conservative and traditional one, and these are virtues which must be preserved in order to maintain the prestige of the profession”, Justice Dipeolu said
She added that it was imperative for legal professions in relying more and more, on technology tools like electronic law reports and virtual case management tools, noting that shift in technology has led to the emergence of a new kind of evidence, being digital evidence resulting from Electronically Stored Information (ESI).
She said electronic discovery was a procedure by which parties involved in a legal case, preserve, collect, review and exchange information in electronic formats for the purpose of using it as evidence, noting that digital evidence and e-dicovery procedure must thus be considered within the context of advancement in science and technology.
In his welcome address, the Chairman Judiciary Training Committee, Justice Olarewaju Mabekoje said that it was rare opportunity for the state judiciary service in constituting such a training for the member of staff, noting that it would aid and improve their performances and productivities.
He said that the training of magistrates on digital evidence and e-discovery law practice would also assist in wasting of human hour and capacity, noting that it was a way of moving from analogue to the electronics device in tackling litigation issues and dispensation of justice in the state.
He admonished all the participants to key into the report of the training, make use of it and see it as an opportunity in acquiring another skills and knowledge in life, and appreciated the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu for the great privilege of organizing such training.
“It was a rare privilege for them in acquiring such a skill and knowledge, I believe that they will return to their duty post with a better deliberation in analysing litigation with digital evidence, so as to also justify the enormous amount been spent on the training and re-training them”, Justice Mabekoje said
In his opening remarks, the Trainer, Chief Emeka Arinze, said that technology has taken over a lot of human life, saying that every aspects of existence, from transportation, publishing, marketing and distribution had been taken over by technology.
“As you can see that virtually every aspects of life has been taken over by technology and the law should not be excepted in going digital, that’s more reason they really need to key into it before it is too late”, Arinze said
He added that in this 21st century, it was imperative to key into technology, especially in addressing all civil, criminal and other matters of litigation in the country.