National Judicial Council (NJC) sacks Zamfara judge, probes 15 others

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has at its 83rd meeting constituted 15 committees to investigate various allegations in the petitions written against 15 judicial officers, including two chief judges.

NJC also admitted a letter from the Zamfara State Government approving the recommendation of the NJC for the compulsory removal of Justice Musa Ibrahim Anka from office for allegedly receiving a bribe of N200,000 from one Zubairu Abdumalik in order to deliver judgment in his favour.

A statement from the Director of Public Affairs, Soji Oye stated that 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.

At the meeting, it dismissed 31 petitions, 29 of which it found unmeritorious, and 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Justice J. T. Tsoho of the Federal High Court and Justice O. O. Akeredolu, Acting Chief Judge of Ondo State were withdrawn at the instance of the petitioners.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 who wrote against Hon. Mr. Justice Tsoho withdrew petition since the judge had delivered the ruling in his case.

Chief Raheem Badmus who wrote against Justice Akeredolu also voluntarily withdrew his petition for personal reasons.

The NJC treated the two petitions as withdrawn, since it did not find anything in them sufficiently serious for further consideration as stipulated in Regulation 9 (1) of the Judicial Discipline Regulations.

However, it found worthy of further investigation, the petition written by Azi Phillip on behalf of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), 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.

Council however decided not to constitute an Investigative Committee to look into the matter, because the judge had already retired from service and therefore no longer in the employment of the National Judicial Council

It also considered and dismissed petitions written against two other judicial officers for lack of merit. They are Justice Mr. L. T. C. Eruba of the Abia State High Court and Grand Kadi Abdullahi Waiya of the Sharia’h Court of Appeal, Kano State.

NJC also issue two letters of advice to Justice M. A. Dada of the Lagos State High Court and Justice Chukwudi Charles Okaa of the Anambra State High Court for violation of extant laws in the course of their judicial duties.

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