The
National Judicial Council, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has set up 15 panels to probe two state chief
justices and 13 other judges accused of misconduct, the council announced in a
statement Monday.
The
decision was taken at the 83rd meeting of the NJC.
The
panels will investigate various allegations in the petitions written against 15
Judicial Officers, including two chief judges.
The
council took the decision after considering the reports of the two Preliminary
Complaints Assessment Committees, on 46 petitions written against judicial
officers in the federal and state judiciaries, a statement signed by Soji Oye,
director of Information of the NJC, said.
The
statement, however, did not give the names of those being investigated.
But
it said the council dismissed 31 petitions, 29 of which it found to be without
merit. The remaining two written against Justice J. T. Tsoho of the Federal
High Court and Justice O. O. Akeredolu, Acting Chief Judge of Ondo State, were
withdrawn at the instance of the petitioners.
Al-Sagr
National Insurance Company which wrote against Mr. Tsoho withdrew his petition
since the judge had delivered the ruling in his case.
Raheem
Badmus, who wrote against Mr. Akeredolu, also voluntarily withdrew his petition
for personal reasons, the statement said.
The
statement said the council considered and found worthy of further
investigation, the petition written by Azi A. Phillip on behalf of All Farmers
Association of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter, accusing Justice P. D. Damulak,
the immediate past Chief Judge of Plateau State of bias, for failure to make
his judgment in Suit No. PLD/J/236/16 delivered on November 4, 2016 available
to him till the time he wrote the petition.
The
council said it however decided not to constitute an Investigative Committee to
look into the matter, because the accused judge had already retired from
service and was therefore no longer in the employment of the National Judicial
Council.
In
other cases, the council considered and dismissed petitions written against two
other judicial officers for lack of merit. The judges are L. T. C. Eruba – High
Court of Justice, Abia State; and Grand Kadi Abdullahi Waiya – Sharia’h Court
of Appeal, Kano State.
It
also decided to issue two letters of advice to Justice M. A. Dada of the Lagos
State High Court of Justice and Justice Chukwudi Charles Okaa of the Anambra
State High Court for violation of extant laws in the course of their judicial
duties based on petition written against their Lordships by Dayo Adamolekun,
Esq. & Ridwanulah Olanite, Esq. and Reverend F. U. Ekavhiare &
Associates respectively.
The
council agreed to report Adesina Ogunlana, Esq., to the Legal Practitioners
Disciplinary Committee (L.P.D.C.) for misconduct, for the use of uncouth
language in a petition written to the National Judicial Council against Justice
O. O. Atilade, the immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State.
The
council welcomed as good development, a letter from Zamfara State Government
approving the recommendation of the National Judicial Council for the
compulsory removal of Justice Musa Anka from office for receiving a bribe of
N200, 000 from Zubairu Abdumalik in order to deliver judgement in his favour.
The
recommendation was made to the Zamfara State Government by council in 2011.
The
decision was taken at the 83rd meeting of the NJC.
The
panels will investigate various allegations in the petitions written against 15
Judicial Officers, including two chief judges.
The
council took the decision after considering the reports of the two Preliminary
Complaints Assessment Committees, on 46 petitions written against judicial
officers in the federal and state judiciaries, a statement signed by Soji Oye,
director of Information of the NJC, said.
The
statement, however, did not give the names of those being investigated.
But
it said the council dismissed 31 petitions, 29 of which it found to be without
merit. The remaining two written against Justice J. T. Tsoho of the Federal
High Court and Justice O. O. Akeredolu, Acting Chief Judge of Ondo State, were
withdrawn at the instance of the petitioners.
Al-Sagr
National Insurance Company which wrote against Mr. Tsoho withdrew his petition
since the judge had delivered the ruling in his case.
Raheem
Badmus, who wrote against Mr. Akeredolu, also voluntarily withdrew his petition
for personal reasons, the statement said.
The
statement said the council considered and found worthy of further
investigation, the petition written by Azi A. Phillip on behalf of All Farmers
Association of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter, accusing Justice P. D. Damulak,
the immediate past Chief Judge of Plateau State of bias, for failure to make
his judgment in Suit No. PLD/J/236/16 delivered on November 4, 2016 available
to him till the time he wrote the petition.
The
council said it however decided not to constitute an Investigative Committee to
look into the matter, because the accused judge had already retired from
service and was therefore no longer in the employment of the National Judicial
Council.
In
other cases, the council considered and dismissed petitions written against two
other judicial officers for lack of merit. The judges are L. T. C. Eruba – High
Court of Justice, Abia State; and Grand Kadi Abdullahi Waiya – Sharia’h Court
of Appeal, Kano State.
It
also decided to issue two letters of advice to Justice M. A. Dada of the Lagos
State High Court of Justice and Justice Chukwudi Charles Okaa of the Anambra
State High Court for violation of extant laws in the course of their judicial
duties based on petition written against their Lordships by Dayo Adamolekun,
Esq. & Ridwanulah Olanite, Esq. and Reverend F. U. Ekavhiare &
Associates respectively.
The
council agreed to report Adesina Ogunlana, Esq., to the Legal Practitioners
Disciplinary Committee (L.P.D.C.) for misconduct, for the use of uncouth
language in a petition written to the National Judicial Council against Justice
O. O. Atilade, the immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State.
The
council welcomed as good development, a letter from Zamfara State Government
approving the recommendation of the National Judicial Council for the
compulsory removal of Justice Musa Anka from office for receiving a bribe of
N200, 000 from Zubairu Abdumalik in order to deliver judgement in his favour.
The
recommendation was made to the Zamfara State Government by council in 2011.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
