The National Judicial Council on Thursday, barred judges who are under
investigation for corruption offences from sitting until the cases
against them were dispensed with.
The NJC appears to have bowed to pressure from prominent Nigerians,
including the Nigerian Bar Association, to suspend the affected judges
or compel them to withdraw from further sittings until they were
exonerated from the charges against them.
The NJC said in a statement signed by its Acting Director,
Information, Mr. Soji Oye, on Thursday, that it took the decision at
its 79th meeting.
The meeting started on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday.
A number of judges have been invited for investigation by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission after the raid of the houses of some
judges, including two Justices of the Supreme Court, by the operatives
of the Department of State Service between 7 and 8, October.
With the decision reached by the NJC on Thursday, the affected judges
will no longer conduct proceedings until the cases against them are
concluded.
The statement read in part, “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
who are being investigated for alleged high profile criminal offences
do not perform judicial functions until their cases are concluded.”
The NJC meeting is likely to be the last to be held under the the
chairmanship of the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud
Mohammed, who retires on November 10 when he attains the mandatory
retirement age of 70.
The NJC said it, at the meeting, also set up a Transparency and
Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation Committee as provided for in its
newly launched National Judicial Policy.
The statement added, “The National Judicial Council, under the
Chairmanship of the Hon.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, at its
79th Meeting held on the 2nd and 3rd day of November 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 (Rtd 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
multifaceted strategies and guidelines that will ensure transparency
and eliminate corruption in the Judiciary.
“It seeks, amongst 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.”
investigation for corruption offences from sitting until the cases
against them were dispensed with.
The NJC appears to have bowed to pressure from prominent Nigerians,
including the Nigerian Bar Association, to suspend the affected judges
or compel them to withdraw from further sittings until they were
exonerated from the charges against them.
The NJC said in a statement signed by its Acting Director,
Information, Mr. Soji Oye, on Thursday, that it took the decision at
its 79th meeting.
The meeting started on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday.
A number of judges have been invited for investigation by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission after the raid of the houses of some
judges, including two Justices of the Supreme Court, by the operatives
of the Department of State Service between 7 and 8, October.
With the decision reached by the NJC on Thursday, the affected judges
will no longer conduct proceedings until the cases against them are
concluded.
The statement read in part, “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
who are being investigated for alleged high profile criminal offences
do not perform judicial functions until their cases are concluded.”
The NJC meeting is likely to be the last to be held under the the
chairmanship of the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud
Mohammed, who retires on November 10 when he attains the mandatory
retirement age of 70.
The NJC said it, at the meeting, also set up a Transparency and
Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation Committee as provided for in its
newly launched National Judicial Policy.
The statement added, “The National Judicial Council, under the
Chairmanship of the Hon.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, at its
79th Meeting held on the 2nd and 3rd day of November 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 (Rtd 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
multifaceted strategies and guidelines that will ensure transparency
and eliminate corruption in the Judiciary.
“It seeks, amongst 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.”
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