** Judges with fewer than 4 judgments yearly to go - CJN

** As they resign in droves, citing ill health

Monday, 20 May 2013

ANOTHER riot act has been read to judges by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar on Friday as she continued the implementation of her anti-corruption crusade in the judiciary. Any judge that did not deliver minimum of four judgments in a year would be automatically booted out, she said.

Speaking last Friday while receiving Performace Evaluation report on judges, she confirmed Nigerian Tribune’s exclusive report on the ban she placed on indiscriminate travels by judges, noting that apart from the outcome of petitions filed against them, the National Judicial Council would henceforth use its performance evaluation reports to weed out incompetent and indolent judges.

The “Nigeria’s Judicial Performance Evaluation 2008 - 2011” was compiled in seven volumes by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).
While receiving the report in her office, Aloma-Mukhtar said that it was incredulous to observe that some judges could not even deliver up to two judgments in a quarter.

According to her, “We are now thinking of looking at the performance evaluation of the judges for the purpose of discipline. If a judge cannot deliver three to four judgments ina year, there is no use keeping him on the bench other than to be shown his or her way out.”

She added that the extent of the rot was not known to her until she directed all judges to seek for permission through their heads of court before travelling abroad.

“The Nigerian Bar Association has also been complaining about the attitudes of judges to work these days. Many will leave their work and travel for days abroad. This is why I insisted they must obtain approval before travelling abroad. Until this directive, I never thought things were all that bad, because some of the judges will be seeking for permission to travel abroad, while the courts were in session, despite the six weeks holiday they are entitled to in a year,” she disclosed.

The CJN went further to state that the judges were expected to commence proceeding by 9.00 a.m., but there were instances when many of them would not resume work until 11 am or 12 noon while the litigants, their witnesses and lawyers keep waiting in the courts.

“These litigants are human beings. They go to court sometimes with their witnesses and lawyers and were told that the judges were not around. Sometimes after coming to court without seeing the judges, they abandoned their cases in the court. It is not fair.

“These are part of the reasons the NJC undertakes performance evaluation from time to time both at the trial and appellate courts to determine productivity of the judges and their courts in the states and the Federal Capital Territory. The Supreme Court is not exempted.

“The NIALS’ performance evaluation could not have come at a better time because it will go a long way to compliment the ones carried out by NJC performance evaluation committee,” she added

While presenting the seven volumes of the performance report, the project director who doubles as the head of NIALS, Professor Epiphany Azinge said the work would go a long way to compliment the CJN’s present drive to cleanse the judiciary.

However, he urged the CJN to put necessary machinery in place to standardise process of performance evaluation nationwide.

More judges voluntarily retire

In the last one week, over 10 judges reportedly tendered noticeof voluntarily retirement as the judiciary leadership deepend the cleansing of the system, Nigerian Tribune reliably learnt Sunday night.

They all reportedly claimed to so do on health grounds, though some were said to be among the 36 judges on the sanction radar of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Lawal Gummi, threw in the towel last Monday despite having two more years in office.
Despite being a member of the council, he had been under probesince the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar came into office.
He left office to become a second-class emir in Zamfara State.

A top system source told the Nigerian Tribune that judges started considering their further stay in service when the CJN gave bite to her anti-corruption crusade by firing a couple of themand another 21 had been listed for sanction consideration when the council meets on June 23.

Aftermath Gummi’s exit, it was learnt that those who knew they could have issues with the council reportedly decided to toe his path though Gummi did not claim ill-health in his retirement notice.

Those who tendered theirs after him, reportedly said their health could no longer carry the rigours of the job.

“After mama (CJN) issued the order on indiscriminate travels, those judges who always travel frequently on medical grounds knew they just had to go before they are thrown out.

“Many of them knew their health could not support the stress of the job, yet they stay put, delaying cases,” the source disclosed.
It was learnt that the CJN ordered all judges to submit their current medical records especially those who applied to travel for treatment, with many having serious infirmity being exposed.

The source added that “since they knew the fate awaiting them, they decided to leave before being sent packing in about a month’s time.”

Those who tendered the notice are said to be of the Court of Appeal, Federal High Court and High Court. No justice of Supreme Court was involved.

On those being probed and rushing to voluntarily retire, the source disclosed that retiring voluntarily would not stop the council from sanctioning them.
The source used retired Justice Adeniran of Oyo State as an example of council’s way of punishing those who left before the consideration of their cases.
While Adeniran voluntarily retired,the council converted it to compulsorily retirement following his alleged indictment for unethical conduct.
He subsequently sued the council.

“Judges whose petitions against them had been listed for consideration by the council are also said to be in panic, though reportedly helpless, “since no one can approach mama (CJN) to beg. Others are sitting up and judges now think twice before they give judgements and orders. Even the one (names withheld) that used to carry himself as a tin-god before because he is a retired CJ now behaves where he is serving now,” the source disclosed.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/12337-judges-with-fewer-than-4-judgments-yearly-to-go-cjn-as-they-resign-in-droves-citing-ill-health

** National Judicial Council Sacks Three Rogue Judges

February 21, 2013

Three controversial judges, Abubakar Talba, Thomas Naron, and Charles Archibong have been shown the gate by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

In a meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Mukhtar, at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, on Wednesday, the NJC called for the immediate compulsory retirement of the judges on ethical grounds. They decision is subject to approval by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Talba was the judge who sentenced the convicted pension board boss, Yakubu Yusufu, to two years in prison each on athree-count charge with an option of fine of N250, 000 on each charge.

Yusufu had pleaded guilty to stealing N2 billion of about N30 billion he was charged with by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He promptly paid the fine and was set free though later arrested and tried on another charge by the commission.

The commission said Mr. Talba reneged on a verbal agreement it had with the accused and thejudge that the convict be jailed without an option of fine.

As for Naron, he was investigated by the NJC for the scandalous ruling he led three other judgesto give as the first election petition tribunal in Osun State after the controversial 2007 elections.
Naron and the other judges are believed to have been compromised by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government of the then governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Call records later showed that Naron and Oyinlola’s lawyer, Kunle Kaleijaye, were having secret discussions prior to the controversial ruling.

Oyinlola was to later be sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced with the authentic winner of the election, Rauf Aregbesola.

The NJC also recommended Kalejaiye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to the Nigeria Bar Association for punishment for his role in the scandal.
The third judge sanctioned by the NJC is Justice Archibong who presided over the case ofalleged rogue banker, Erastus Akingbola.

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/national-judicial-council-sack-three-rogue-judges/

** Pension scam trial judge suspended

Saturday, 27 April 2013

Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court who gave a light sentence to convicted felon, Mr. John Yakubu Yusuf, has been suspended for a year by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

A statement from the council’s spokesperson, Mr. Soji Oye, read “The National Judicial Council under the chairmanship of the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, at its meeting which was held on 24th and 25th April, 2013 suspended Honourable Justice Abubakar Mahmud Talba of the FCT High Court from office for a period of 12 months without pay.

“Honourable Justice Talba was suspended from office sequel to the findings by council that he didnot exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously with regard to the sentences he passed on one of the accused persons, Mr. John Yakubu Yusuf, in the Police Pension case of FRN Vs Esai Dangabar and 5 Ors.

“It is recalled that the National Judicial Council at its emergency meeting which was held on 20th February, 2013 set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Honourable Justice Talba in the Police Pension case of FRN Vs Esai Dangabar and 5 Ors.

“The council however, observed that the charges that had been brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Mr. John Y. Yusuf in the first charge sheet containing counts 1 to 10 under Section 315 of the Penal Code that provides a maximum jail term of 14 years and fine, were dropped by the EFCC counsel and substituted with another charge sheet with only three counts under Section 309 of the Penal Code that moulds a lesser punishment of two years imprisonment with or without option of fine.

“The National Judicial Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, also issues serious warning to Honourable Justice Talba to desist from unreasonable exercise of judicial discretion in all matters brought before him.

“On the various petitions written against Honourable Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court who is to retire from service on 18th May, the council considered his responses and decided to warn him.”

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/10512-pension-scam-trial-judge-suspended

It would be great if these reforms are carried out. Nigerian Judges have become amongst the worst in the world. This has seriously affected the confidence and attitude of Nigerians towards the rule of law.Nigeria is a jungle today principally because judges have failed to perform.Thus,people have reached the conclusion that it does not make sense to go to court. Sometimes,a single case will linger on for 15 years in a Nigerian court !!! What type of crap is that?

@Sincere 9gerian,

You are fast becoming the master of bombast around these parts, straying into an area that remains the preserve of a few

From where I am sitting, a real revolution would indeed have taken place if Mama CJN had flagged those work-shy judges as "ghost workers" - no longer fit for purpose.

Small win comrade.

Operation sweep our judiciary system clean

vizboy: Operation sweep our judiciary system clean

The current Chief Justice is doing very well and deserves the support of all Nigerians

Sincere 9gerian:
The current Chief Justice is doing very well and deserves the support of all Nigerians

.

Sincere 9gerian:
The current Chief Justice is doing very well and deserves the support of all Nigerians

She shld appoint Special Judges for Corruptn Cases, like she promisd, and I wud jump on her bandwagon....good initial moves though, but I expect the above and a complete overhaul of d Judicial and Criminal Justice System (the latter of which I know wud take sm time)...

All these good news are reaching you courtesy Team fresh air and fresh water!! No more mess. Nigeria e don dey resemble london

The lawmakers of Nigeria are really very wicked. How can they just make laws and not put out and monitor the executors of this law. Maybe they don't know their jobs. And some of them go to their awoof assembly to sleep and speak english. And eat our food. Nigerians should start sacking their lawmakers. The biggest problem in our judicial system is not their inability to handle corruption cases. It is their unwillingness to admit that justice is the same for the poor, as it is for the rich. They have refused to ensure justice for all. The police arrest poor people willy nilly, torture them, and sometimes kill them. Very few police have been prosecuted for these kind of crimes. They lock up kids and brutalise women. Nobody is talking about these crimes. Why?

taharqa2: She shld appoint Special Judges for Corruptn Cases, like she promisd, and I wud jump on her bandwagon....good initial moves though, but I expect the above and a complete overhaul of d Judicial and Criminal Justice System (the latter of which I know wud take sm time)...

I agree with you. The Chief Justice promised to consider the possibility of assigning cases of corruption to select judges but obviously that has not materialized. The immediate past chief justice submitted a bill for comprehensive reform of the justice system to the NASS. I hope the NASS will speedily consider and pass the bill into law