Ogun CJ introduces bondsmen regulation for speedy dispensation of justice

Ogun State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu has introduced ‘Bondsmen Regulations’ and ‘Bondsmen Licensing Board’ into the judicial system to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the state.

Dipeolu disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting held at the State Judiciary Complex, in Kobape Abeokuta on Tuesday.

She said the initiative would make the administration of justice easier, faster and make life easier for defendants whose family members were not in the court jurisdiction to perfect their bail.

According to her, the initiative was also aimed at decongesting correctional centres across the state.

The chief judge said that the bondsmen regulations was another important milestone in the state’s efforts to consolidate on the gains of the present administration at improving the judicial system for the benefit of the people of the state.

According to her, the development is timely and in line with the government’s ‘seven-point agenda’ on repositioning the judicial system by decongesting the correctional centres.

“It is necessary to clarify who bonds persons or bonds agents are.

“A bail bondsman, bail bondsperson, bail bond agent or bond dealer is any person, agency or corporation that will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of a defendant in court.

“Bail bond agents are almost exclusively found in the United States and its former colony, the Philippines,’’ Dipeolu said.

She said the practice of professional surety, before the Administration of Criminal Justice and Other Related Matters Law of Ogun State 2017 (ACIL), was greatly discouraged.

She noted that many courts have had cause to convict and sentence such unregistered professional sureties.

She also disclosed that recent statistics from the last emergency jail delivery exercise, revealed that 80 per cent of persons in custody across all correctional centres in the state were awaiting trial inmates.

The CJ added that some of the inmates were granted bail by the courts, but that most of them could not perfect their bail or secure their release from custody, due to inability to present credible surety or sureties acceptable to the court.

She said registration of bonds person or agents was a catalyst for achieving the important objective of decongesting correctional centres.

She inaugurated members of the Bondsmen Licensing Board, comprising Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, as Chairman and Mr Matins Akinyemi, Mr Solomon Banwo and Mr O. Oyefeso as members.

Dipeolu charged the members to see themselves as lay officers in the temple of justice and must always cooperate with judicial officers in the performance of their duties.