National Judicial Council recalls 6 judges accused of corruption

dimeji akinloye

June 3, 2017 3:32 PM

The judges were directed to resume duty on June 7 as there are backlog of cases pending in their courts.

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The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recalled Justice

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed corruption charges against Ademola, but he was later discharged and acquitted by an Abuja high court.

The NJC also recalled five judges, some of whom were arrested by the the Department of State Services (DSS) on October 8, 2016, on allegations of corruption.

The Council disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, June 3, its spokesman, Soji Oye.

The recalled judges are John Inyang Okoro, Supreme Court; Uwani Abba Aji, Court of Appeal; Hydiazira Nganjiwa, Federal High Court; Musa Kurya, Federal High Court, and Agbadu James Fishim, National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

The judges are expected to resume duty on June 7.

According to the statement, the Council took the decision at its meeting which ended on Thursday, June 1.

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It said out of eight judges, who were suspended over "investigations against them," only three of them – Ademola, Sylvester Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia – have been charged to court.

"The National Judicial Council, under the chairmanship of Hon Justice Walter S N Onnoghen, GCON, at its 82nd meeting which was held on 31 May and 1 June, 2017, considered the case of eight judicial officers who were directed to recuse themselves from duties on the request of the attorney-general of the federation pending the outcome of investigations against them. To maintain the integrity and sanctity of the Judiciary and sustain public confidence, the Judicial Officers were directed to recuse themselves from office with effect from 2 November, 2016," the statement read.

"After deliberation, council noted that out of the judicial officers directed to recuse themselves from performing their official duties, only three have been charged to court. They are: Hon Justice N S Ngwuta, CFR, of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; Justice A F A Ademola of the federal high court; and Hon Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the federal high court.

"The trial of Hon Justice A F A Ademola has been concluded and he has been discharged and acquitted of the charges filed against him.

"In view of the foregoing, council decided that the various heads of court should direct the following judicial officers to resume their judicial duties with effect from Wednesday 7 June, 2017, as there are already backlog of cases in their various court for the past eight months: Hon Justice John Inyang Okoro of the supreme court; Hon Justice Uwani Abba Aji of the court of appeal; Hon Justice Hydiazira A Nganjiwa of the federal high court; Hon Justice A F A Ademola of the federal high court who has been discharged and acquitted; Hon Justice Musa H Kurya of the federal high court; and Hon Justice Agbadu James Fishim of National Industrial Court of Nigeria."

dimeji akinloye