Others • Created February 27, 2014 12:07

NJC fires 2 erring high court judges for gross misconduct

….warns others The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, has ordered the immediate suspension from office of two erring high court judges over gross misconduct. The affected judges are Justice G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court and Justice U. A. Inyang of High […]

NJC fires 2 erring high court judges for gross misconduct
NJC fires 2 erring high court judges for gross misconduct

Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar….warns others

The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, has ordered the immediate suspension from office of two erring high court judges over gross misconduct.

The affected judges are Justice G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court and Justice U. A. Inyang of High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, respectively.

Soji Oye, an assistant director information, NJC who said in a statement yesterday added that the NJC, has equally recommended their compulsory retirement from office to President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, the NJC, which is the apex regulatory judicial body in the country, took the decision at its meeting which was held on 26thFebruary, 2014.

Olotu was recommended for compulsory retirement from office to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, pursuant to the ‘findings” by the Council on the following allegations contained in the petitions written against her.

It was discovered that Olotu failed to deliver Judgment only to deliver same in Suit No. FHC/UY/250/2003, eighteen months after the final Address by all the Counsel in the suit, contrary to the Constitutional provisions that Judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days;

It was found that the Olotu admitted before the Fact Finding Committee of the Council that investigated the allegations that she forgot she had a pending Ruling to deliver in an application for Joinder; and

It was also discovered that Olotu entertained a post Judgment matter in Suit No. FHC/UY/CS/250/2003 in Port Harcourt after delivering Judgment, which made her functus officio.

In another case: Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/505/2012, Olotu failed to deliver judgment twice.

On the other hand Inyang of High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was also recommended for compulsory retirement from office to President Jonathan  sequel to the “findings” of the NJC on the allegations leveled against him.

Inyang was found to have included in his Judgment, references to the Garnishee Proceedings, which came after the Judgment had been delivered on 20thDecember, 2011.

Inyang also included the name of the Counsel to Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru, SAN, who came into the matter after the judgment of 20thDecember, 2011 was delivered;

The NJC found further that Inyang recklessly signed a Writ of Execution, a day after delivering his judgment of 20thDecember, 2011, the same day a Notice of Appeal and Motion on Notice for Stay of Execution were filed and that he continued with the Garnishee Proceedings despite application for Stay of Execution; and that before delivering his Judgment of 20thDecember, 2011, Inyang ignored a properly filed Motion on Notice for leave to file additional witness statement on Oath.

Meanwhile, the NJC has also issued warning letters to Justice Dalhatu Adamu, former Acting President of the Court of Appeal and now the Presiding Justice of Court of Appeal Kaduna Division, Justice A. A. Adeleye of High Court of Justice, Ekiti State and Justice D. O. Amaechina of High Court of Justice, Anambra State, respectively.

Dalhatu Adamu, was warned for deliberately absenting himself from duty, which according to the NJC, is an act of gross misconduct contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended and the Code of Conduct of Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Daily Trust recalls that the NJC at its last meeting which was held on 4thand 5thDecember, 2013 considered and deliberated on the report of its five-man Committee who were mandated to invite Judicial Officers with very low performance or non-performance to appear before it.  At the end of deliberation on the report of the Committee, NJC found Justice A. A. Adeleye and Justice D. O. Amaechina culpable of very low performance.  Hence the warning letters to them for decline in their productivity.

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