CORRUPTION: STEP ASIDE NOW, NJC TELLS INDICTED JUDGES

Abuja, Nigeria – The National Judicial Council, NJC has called on judges being investigated for allegations of corruption to step down from the Bench pending their trial.

Two Justices of the Supreme Court, Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta and Justices of Federal High Courts, Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Muazu Pindiga are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) after their homes were invaded by the Department of States Security(DSS) and money of various sums and denominations allegedly found in their homes.

The NJC had earlier sacked the former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike, the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Tsamiya and Judge of Kano State High Court, Justice Kabiru Auta.

The NJC took the decision for affected judges to step down at the end of a two-day emergency meeting in Abuja.

In a statement, Acting Director of Information at the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye said the Council equally constituted a Transparency and Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation Committee to be headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.

“The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, at its 79th meeting held on November 1 and 2, 2016, commenced implementation of specific aspects of the National Judicial Policy which came into force in April 2016 and was launched on Monday 24th October, 2016.

‘’During the Meeting, Council set-up a Transparency and Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation Committee as follows: Hon Justice E. O. Ayoola, CON (Retd Justice of the Supreme Court) – Chairman. “Hon Justice Kashim Zannah, Chief Judge of Borno State – member; A. B. Mahmoud, SAN, President Nigeria Bar Association – member. “Section 6 of the National Judicial Policy aims at putting in place multi-faceted strategies and guidelines that will ensure transparency and eliminate corruption in the Judiciary.

“It seeks, among other measures, to provide a platform and opportunity to citizens who profess factual and credible knowledge of information on the nature and modalities of corruption in the judicial system to ventilate such.




“Council also decided that Judicial Officers shall not be standing trial for alleged corruption related offences and be performing judicial functions at the same time.

“Council, however, decided that it will ensure that Judicial Officers being investigated for alleged high profile criminal offences do not perform judicial functions until their cases are concluded”.