The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recalled Justice
Adeniyi Ademola and five other judges suspended by the body after a memo from
the Attorney-General of the Federation calling for their suspension. Read statement
below…
"The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of
Hon. Justice Walter. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON, at its 82nd Meeting which was held
on 31st May and 1st 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 2nd November, 2016.
"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;• Hon. 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 7th June, 2017, as there are already
backlog of cases in their various Court for the past eight months:
1. Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court;
2. Hon. Justice Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal;
3. Hon. Justice Hydiazira A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High
Court;
4. Hon. Justice A. F. A. Ademola of the Federal High Court
who has been discharged and acquitted;
5. Hon. Justice Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court; and
6. Hon. Justice Agbadu James Fishim of National Industrial
Court of Nigeria.
Council also at the Meeting, decided to warn Hon. Justice M.
N. Esowe of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Adolphus
Enebeli of the High Court of Justice, Rivers State and Hon. Justice Bassey
Frank Etuk of the Akwa-Ibom State High Court for different offences and place
two of them on the “Watch List” of the Council.
Council’s decision to give Hon. Justice Esowe a serious
warning and put her on its “Watch List” for one year, was sequel to a petition
written against her by Mr. Jimmy Dirisu Aliu, alleging injustice for failing to
deliver ruling in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/394/2013, until Eight (8) months after the
final address of counsel on Notice of Preliminary objection to his Suit.
Council also decided to give Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli serious warning and
place him on its “Watch-List” for three years following its ‘findings’ that
Hon. Justice Enebeli violated the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria by granting ex-parte order in Suit No.
PHC/983/2016, preventing the swearing-in of Victoria Wodo Nyeche as a member of
the Rivers State House of Assembly, when the claim in the Suit did not border
on qualification or pre-election matter.
The Hon. Judge was said to have granted the ex-parte order
on 19th April, 2016, three days to the swearing-in ceremony and adjourned the
case to 21st April, 2016 when the ceremony had been concluded. Hon. Justice
Bassey Frank Etuk was warned following a petition written against him by Oro
Youth Movement for failure to deliver judgment in Suit No. HOR/FHC/97/2014, a
Fundamental Human Right case, after hearing it to conclusion and adjourned same
for judgment to the 8th June, 2015.
The Hon. Judge then proceeded on National assignment as an
Election Petition Tribunal member and did not deliver the judgment even after
his return in November, 2015, when he transferred the case file to the Chief
Judge for it to start de-novo. The Suit was filed by two officers of the
Movement to prevent the police from arresting them after they were reported for
embezzling the sum of N20, 000.000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) from the account
of the movement.
The decision of the Council is with immediate effect.
Council also considered and dismissed petitions written against twelve other
Judicial Officers. Council dismissed the petitions because three (3) of the
Petitioners withdrew their petitions against Hon. Justice T. U. Uzokwe, Chief
Judge, Abia State, Hon. Justice Okoroafor of the Abia State High Court and Hon.
Justice Judge Okeke of the FCT High Court of Justice. One petition written
against Hon. H. A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court was also dismissed for
subjudice.
Other petitions written against Hon. Justices Adamu Abdu-Kafarati
and O. E. Abang, both of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justices Mobolaji Ojo,
and E. O. Osinuga, both of the Ogun State High Court, Hon. Justice B. A.
Oke-Lawal of Lagos State High Court, Hon. Justice A. A. Aderemi of Oyo State,
Ntong F. Ntong of Akwa-Ibom State High Court and the second petition written
against Hon. Justice Bassey Frank Etuk of Akwa-Ibom State High Court of Justice
were found unmeritorious.”
0 Comments