Court orders payment ofretired judges severance package

AN Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Thursday, ordered the state government to pay the severance package of retired judicial officers of the state judiciary.The presiding judge, Justice Muktar Ladi Abimbola, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by 11 retired judges of the state judiciary, said that it was the responsibility of the state government to pay the entitlements of judges who served in the state till their retirement.The plaintiffs, Nurudeen Adekola, Olayiwola Adio, Ruth Oyetunde, Afolabi Adeniran, Olagoke Ige, Karimu Jimoh, Lambe Arasi, Akin Sanda, Atilade Ojo, Simon Akintola and Theophilus Adeniran (deceased), who worked with the states judiciary throughout their career had dragged the state government to court for non-payment of their gratuities.The presiding judge said he had considered all the existing laws and available evidences shown by the claimants and was satisfied by their arguments.According to him, looking at the aspect of law which provides for the payment of the severance package, letters from the National Judicial Commission, headed by the Chief Justice of the Federation, as well as evidences of compliance from some states across the country, the state government erred by withholding the retired judges severance gratuities.While delivering his verdict which lasted less than an hour, the presiding judge agreed with the entire arguments of the claimants as well as their grounds of claims.He also set aside the preliminary objections raised by the state government to excuse itself from paying the retired judges gratuities.He concluded that the defendant (state government) erred by withholding the severance gratuities of the applicants, granted all the reliefs of the claimants and gave orders that they must be complied with forthwith and immediately.
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