The Lagos State Government says it has facilitated amicable settlement of N1.2 billion debts among residents, through its Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC) in the last one year.
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The Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), made this known on Wednesday at the 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the first anniversary of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
Onigbanjo, also the State Attorney-General, said the amount came out of the 22, 896 cases that were amicably resolved among parties.
He said CMC is an agency under the Ministry of Justice charged with the responsibility of providing free legal services to residents.
”A total number of 39,586 cases were received for mediation. Out of this number, 30,017 were mediated and 22,896 were totally resolved.
“The cases not treated were either abandoned by the parties or independently resolved by them.
“The total value of settlement of debt-related matters facilitated by the centre on behalf of parties during the period under review was N1,242,765,569,” Onigbanjo said.
He also said that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) received a total of 1,092 case files in the period under review.
”The DPP, within the period under review, received a total of 282 applications for Plea Bargain, out of which 230 was approved, while 52 applications were rejected.
“The DPP obtained a total of 127 judgments, one of such judgments (State of Lagos vs. Olalekan Hameed) was via remote hearing during the pandemic lockdown, leading to a conviction for murder and sentencing to death.
“The DPP equally filed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against a truck driver on BRT corridor at Ikorodu; charged a Police Officer for the murder of one Kolade Johnson.
“It prosecuted the case of Danish citizen who allegedly murdered his wife and daughter; and murder of wife of Maersk MD, among other cases,” the commissioner said.