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The brand new Justice Oputa Court Complex constructed by former Governor Rochas Okorocha which was abandoned by the Emeka Ihedioha administration due to fears about the structural integrity of the complex, is back in the news for similar reasons.
This time, the Chief Registrar of Imo State High Court, Chinyere Ngozi Okereke raised the alarm once again that recent findings indicate that the integrity of the complex is still suspect.
She said: “Although we have moved into the Justice Oputa Court Complex, Owerri, the Judiciary is not sure of the strength and stability of the buildings”.
Okereke, who gave evidence from the witness box, also expressed fear about the safety of judicial officers, staff and litigants that are now using the buildings.
Her words: “My Lord, we had earlier engaged the services of an expert and he raised serious issues with the stability of the buildings. On the strength of this report from the expert, we wrote the Government House on the inherent dangers in the High Court Complex.
“We are not even sure of the strength of the buildings. We are really scared about the safety of the judicial officers, staff and litigants.”
According to the Chief Registrar, the Judiciary has been trying it’s best to fix some visible faults in the buildings.
She continued: “I don’t even know where to start because the problem with the buildings are many and varied. We noticed sparks of fire in the electrical wires, which points to the fact that inferior materials must have been used for the job. We have had to dig up the armoured cables and replace them.
“Presently, there is no lift in the building. If it was ever brought, it must have been taken back. The Plaster Of Paris (POP), in the buildings have all fallen off. The Pavilion has fallen apart. The airconditioners are not working and the few that are working, discharge water into the walls. The Conference Room gets flooded each time it rains.”
When asked to distinguish between the more than five contracts awarded for the same complex, she said could not.
“There was no contract signed by my predecessors. I was told that we did not award any contract to anybody or firm. I am not aware of where the said buildings were sited. We were not involved at whatever level, in any of them. I don’t know either the contractors or the contract values”, Okereke said.
