Basorun Oladipo
From Foluso Adelaja
The virtual court, an online trial process of the law courts recently approved by the Supreme Court as constitutional and now gradually creeping into our judicial system could task the scarce resources of states adopting the initiative, Basorun Muyiwa Oladipo, a lawyer and former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ogun State has warned.
Basorun Oladipo a.k.a BMO, told THE STATEPOST in an exclusive interview recently that the new initiative being adopted now by many states, Lagos and Ogun inclusive, may not be devoid of its own demerits.
He pointed out that it may task the scarce resources of the states as more amenities will have to be provided to ensure adequate e-coverage of the courts.
The lawyer and former two-time commissioner in Ogun State said the sitting arrangement even in the court under the virtual court system would be different to respect the social distancing dictates of Covid-19.
According to Basorun Oladipo, to effect the new sitting arrangement would cost money.
He however noted that virtual court is not an impossible process saying that “the only difference between virtual and the crowded session is the physical presence”.
Oladipo said governments will have to equip the courts with large screen televisions, computers, recording equipment and other gadgets to make the new process functional.
Virtual court is a concept aimed at eliminating the presence of litigants or lawyers in the courtroom through adjudication of the case online.
