Pension fraud: FCT acting CJ transfers Justice Talba’s case
Also, acting on the powers conferred by Section 66 (1) of the High Court Act CAP 510, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, Justice Bukar has transferred 116 cases initially pending before the former chief judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi, who retired voluntarily to become the Emir of Gummi […]
Also, acting on the powers conferred by Section 66 (1) of the High Court Act CAP 510, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, Justice Bukar has transferred 116 cases initially pending before the former chief judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi, who retired voluntarily to become the Emir of Gummi in Zamfara State.
The acting chief judge began re-assigning Justice Talba’s cases last week due to complaints mounted by litigants and awaiting trial inmates in various prisons whose fates were tied down with his suspension by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Justice Talba, who is described as an astute anti-corruption and violent crimes specialist, has over 200 criminal and civil trials before his court at Gudu District of Abuja before he was suspended over his award of option of N750,000 fine against John Yakubu Yusuf, an accountant who was convicted of conspiring with others to embezzle N23 billion in the police pension office.
The NJC-led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, had on April 25 suspended the judge for a period of 12 months without pay for poor exercise of judicial discretion in the trial which had generated public outrage.
Speaking with Daily Trust, an Abuja-based anti-corruption lawyer, Ugochukwu Osuagwu, said the re-assignment of the cases before the judge, which have to begin de novo (afresh) will amount to waste of resources that have been expended so far.
But a constitutional lawyer and civil rights activist, Mr Joshua Alobo, said it was in the interest of justice and fair hearing that cases have to start afresh when a judge is elevated or suspended.
While swearing the acting Chief Judge of the FCT High Court on May 23, the CJN had charged him to ensure speedy dispensation of justice while maintaining the high standards of the judiciary.