Ogun Chief Judge Justice Dipeolu Urges Judges to Prioritise Sexual Violence Cases, Promises Consideration of Special GBV Courts

The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has issued a strong directive to stakeholders in the administration of justice across the state, urging them to make the rights of women and children a definitive priority and ensure the expeditious handling of sexual violence cases. The admonition was delivered during a recent courtesy call by advocacy groups, including the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Women’s Advocate Research and Documentation (WARDC), to the Chief Judge’s office at the State Judiciary Complex in Abeokuta.

Justice Dipeolu expressed profound concern over the rising numbers of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other sexual offense cases, including rape, recorded within the state. She affirmed the Ogun State Judiciary’s commitment to combating the menace and assured the groups that her administration would consider establishing a special court dedicated to gender-based violence matters across all judicial divisions, a measure intended to facilitate the quick dispensation of justice. However, the Chief Judge also emphasized that achieving quick conviction in sexual related offence cases requires a collective effort, noting that success is not solely dependent on the Judiciary.

She pointed to challenges associated with prosecutors who sometimes fail to provide necessary evidence or miss important factors during investigations, and instances where victims’ families fail to appear or withdraw from cases. Justice Dipeolu subsequently implored the advocacy groups to intensify efforts to sensitise all stakeholders on the precise and proper use of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, particularly urging prosecutors to maximize its provisions to enhance the conviction rate for sexual offenders in the state.