The Nationwide Judicial Council (NJC) has cleared 5 judges of misconduct allegations levelled towards them and really helpful 38 candidates for varied judicial appointments in varied states.
NJC’s Deputy Director (Data), Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, introduced this in an announcement on Friday.
The NJC, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CIN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, took the choices at its assembly held in Abuja between Wednesday and Thursday.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the NJC rolled out sanctions towards erring judges in the course of the assembly.
This included recommending two courtroom heads for obligatory retirement for falsifying their ages to dishonestly lengthen their years of service.
The 2 prime judges are the Chief Choose of Imo State, T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, and the Grand Kadi of Yobe State, Babagana Mahdi.
Other than recommending the judges’ obligatory retirement to their respective state governors, the NJC additionally demanded the refund of the salaries they earned throughout their illegitimate overstay in service.
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This newspaper’s earlier report additionally captured different sanctions, together with suspension, meted out to different erring judges.
Nonetheless, the council additionally cleared judges of allegations contained in petitions despatched towards them. Some petitioners withdrew their petitions towards some judges.
The council additionally really helpful 38 candidates for varied judicial appointments, largely to Excessive Courts of assorted states.
Learn the excerpts from the assertion capturing the clearance of some judges, the suggestions for appointments, and different related points beneath.
Federal Excessive Court docket choose cleared of 4 petitions
The Council additionally deliberated on 4 petitions towards Hon. Justice Peter O. Lifu of the Federal Excessive Court docket, Abuja as follows:
Petition by Mr Douglas W. Chukwu, the Secretary of the Rivers State Impartial Electoral Fee towards Hon. Justice Lifu was discountenanced, because the petitioner who had earlier indicated curiosity to take part within the listening to of his petition failed, uncared for and refused to seem earlier than the Committee.
The Council additionally finds that the allegations of inducement to the tune of $1 million, a bullet-proof automotive and reward of a plot of land to Hon. Justice Lifu by Chief Emeka Beke, Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), Rivers State, weren’t substantiated in any kind.
It was additionally discovered that the identical events who appeared earlier than the Excessive Court docket in Rivers State, additionally appeared earlier than Hon. Justice Lifu on the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja, however did not disclose or convey to the discover of the Hon. Choose the existence of a sister case at Rivers State Excessive Court docket.
The Council famous that the acts of misconduct alleged have been really perpetuated by the petitioners who filed the case on the Rivers State Excessive Court docket, after the case on the Federal Excessive Court docket, Abuja had been instituted, suggesting discussion board procuring.
Council finds that Hon. Justice Lifu neither exhibited private curiosity within the matter nor misconducted himself within the process and famous that the complaints contained within the petition are actually topic of enchantment by the petitioners.
Equally, Council dismissed the 2 petitions by Abednego Oli Benjamin, Chairman, Boot Celebration, Rivers State Chapter towards Hon. Justice Lifu, because it finds the allegations of bribery and different corrupt practices towards the Topic Choose have been unsubstantiated. It additionally finds that there isn’t any proof of misconduct within the ex parte orders made by the Topic Choose. Council additionally famous that the ex parte orders are actually the topic of appeals.
On the petition by Dr. G. M. Giles-West Clark, Rivers State Home of Meeting towards Hon. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal Excessive Court docket, Abuja Division, the Council finds that the petition was not supported with a verifying affidavit and was subsequently, discountenanced.
On the petition towards the Court docket of Attraction by Aham Eke-Ejelama, SAN, Council finds that the issues have been circumstances that have been commenced throughout trip. It additionally finds that they have been pressing issues assigned to trip Justices and that trip Judges sit in Abuja.
Council additionally finds the assertion that the Appellants’ counsel utilized to be heard in Abuja, isn’t right as solely a Head of Court docket can assign trip circumstances. Consequently, Council dismissed the petition for lack of substance.
Council thereafter directed the President of the Court docket of Attraction ought to cope with the task of the appeals administratively within the regular course of enterprise.
Petitions discontinued towards judges
Additionally, the petitions towards Hon. Justice Peter C. Obiora, JCA, previously of Anambra State Excessive Court docket and Hon. Justice I. S. Yerima, Chief Choose, Oyo State, have been discontinued by the petitioners by notices of discontinuance served on the Council.
Petitions dismissed
The petition by Hon. C. Oforma Agbo JP towards Hon. Justice Consolation C. Ani of the Enugu State Excessive Court docket, was investigated and no proof of judicial misconduct was discovered towards the Choose.
The petition towards Hon. Justice Kabir Dabo, Excessive Court docket of Justice, Kaduna State, by Alhaji Samaila Musa, was dismissed for being unmeritorious, because the Choose didn’t violate any legislation by issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of the petitioner.
Moreover, the petition by Hopeson Dike towards Hon. Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam of the Federal Excessive Court docket was discountenanced because the petitioner deserted it and did not honour Council’s invitation.
Legal professionals referred for self-discipline over submitting of frivolous petitions towards judges
Whereas the NJC is able to sanction erring Judicial Officers, it has an obligation to guard them towards unfounded allegations.
The Council resolved that Authorized Practitioners who by themselves or in collusion with litigants write frivolous petitions to blackmail the Judicial Officers might be reported to the Authorized Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) or the Authorized Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) for applicable motion.
36 candidates really helpful for judicial appointments
Additionally, on the assembly, the Council really helpful Thirty-six (36) candidates for judicial appointment to their varied State Governors.
These really helpful for appointment are as follows:
EIGHT (8) JUDGES, HIGH COURT, OYO STATE
Opayinka, Adeniyi GabrielOyediran, Oloyede SemiuOladejo, Olusoji MosesAdemola-Salami, Oluwaseun ToluwanimiAdesina, Jimoh AdamAdekunle, Yemi SaubanaAdepoju, Olutola Jolade AdenikeMuraina, Olayemi Rasaq
FOUR (4) JUDGES, HIGH COURT, KEBBI STATE
Muhammad, Kwaido HassanIbrahim, Umar HalimaJagwadeji, Suru LauratuMuhammad, Nuruddeen
SEVEN (7) JUDGES, HIGH COURT, SOKOTO STATE
Haruna, Dogondaji MariyaSahabi, Jaredi HadizaAhmad, Sha’aibuHassan, FatimaMohammed, Sa’idu FatimaMuhammad, Nura BelloMoyi, Abubakar
SIX (6) JUDGES, HIGH COURT, AKWA IBOM STATE
Ekanem, James BasseyUmohandi, Mfon WinifredEssien, Bassey IwakaowoMorrison, Henry ComfortNtekim, Edet EkpoEddie, Julius Sharon
SEVEN (7) KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, SOKOTO STATE
Muhammad, Abdulazeez Yar’AbbaLawal, Isa AbubakarBello, Sokoto IbrahimImam, Abubakar BelloMuhammad, Abibu LawalIbrahim, Bodinga UmarKabiru, Marnona Umar
TWO (2) KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KEBBI STATE
Aliyu, Kabir, SANBello, Muhammad Atiku
TWO (2) JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OYO STATE
Oyediran, Safiya AmopeOjekunle, Ojeyemi Ademola
All really helpful candidates are anticipated to be sworn in by their respective State Governors.
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