Magistrates, Counsel, Presidents Area Customary Courts In Edo To Retire At 65

By Ayodele Oni

Some Judicial Officers in Edo State may enjoy retirement age up to 65 years if a bill to that effect is assented to by Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Already the State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law to amend the Edo State Retirement Age of Magistrates and Presidents of Area Customary Courts.

The bill also provides for the extension of the retirement age of state counsel in the Ministry of Justice.

This followed the submission of the report of the Joint Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions; and Rules, Business and Government House on the Bill, by the member representing Esan North-East I Constituency, Mr. Addeh Isibor.

The report which has six findings and three recommendations, was considered and adopted by the committee of the whole House.

The bill also extends the retirement age of Magistrates, Presidents of Area Customary Courts, and Counsel in the Ministry of Justice from sixty years to sixty-five years.

It also extends their service period to forty years, depending on whichever comes first.

After the passage of the bill, the Speaker of the House, Prince Yekini Idaiye, directed the Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, to transmit clean copies of the bill to the  Governor Okpebholo, for his assent.