The National Judicial Council is set to bar media reportage of allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary.
This is contained in the National Judicial Policy to be launched by the NJC on Monday. The policy will widen the dark veil that shields disciplinary proceedings against judges. Under the new policy, the NJC or any institutions of the judiciary shall discard a complaint sent against a judge or employee of the judiciary for investigation if...http://www.reportaroundyou.com/njc-plans-to-stop-publication-of-petitions-against-judges/

I disagree with your position. The NJC challenged the DSS to publish any petition against any Judge or staff of the judiciary that has not been treated.

Though nobody holds brief for erring judges or others, let the game be played according to the rules.

psucc:
I disagree with your position. The NJC challenged the DSS to publish any petition against any Judge or staff of the judiciary that has not been treated.

Though nobody holds brief for erring judges or others, let the game be played according to the rules.

Take time to read and understand the report first before you comment.

The JCN doesn't want any petitioner to leak details of petition to the public. And if it's revealed a petitioner leaks such details, his/her petition will no longer be looked into.

I give up on the Judiciary. PMB was indeed correct when he said the Judiciary is the clog on the wheel of fight against corruption.

eventsms:
The National Judicial Council is set to [size=14pt] bar media reportage [/size] of allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary.
This is contained in the National Judicial Policy to be launched by the NJC on Monday. The policy will widen the dark veil that shields disciplinary proceedings against judges. Under the new policy, the NJC or any institutions of the judiciary shall discard a complaint sent against a judge or employee of the judiciary for investigation if...http://www.reportaroundyou.com/njc-plans-to-stop-publication-of-petitions-against-judges/

Does the NJC have the power to do that? Can the NJC bar journalists from carrying out their responsibility as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution? In that case, the executive should also bar and jail any reporter and media outfit that reports alleged misconduct against any member of the executive.

Ohhhh My God! I don't believe this....

The National Judicial Council is set to bar media reportage of allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary.
This is contained in the National Judicial Policy to be launched by the NJC on Monday.
The policy will widen the dark veil that shields disciplinary proceedings against judges.

Under the new policy, the NJC or any institutions of the judiciary shall discard a complaint sent against a judge or employee of the judiciary for investigation if after receiving the complaint it is leaked or discussed in the media.

The policy partly read, “lt shall be the policy of the judiciary on complaints that allegations of misconduct against judicial officers or employees of the judiciary shall not be leaked or published in the media.
“Where complaints on allegations against judicial officers and court employees are submitted for investigation, the complainant or complainants shall be made to give an undertaking not to do anything to prejudice investigation or actions that may be taken.

“The institutions of the judiciary concerned with investigation or and implementation of decisions taken on such complaints shall be obliged to cease further action where such complaints are leaked or discussed in the media.
“Where such a leakage is occasioned after the submission of a complaint then all investigations on the complaints shall be suspended, the leakage investigated and if such leakage is from the complainant on through other parties known to such a complainant, such a complaint should be discarded.

“Where such leakage is occasioned prior to the presentation of the complaint and the source of the leakage is found to be the complainant or through other parties known to and connected with the complainant then such complaint shall not be accepted, upon submission, by the appropriate disciplinary body.
“Upon the conclusion of any investigation, the judicial disciplinary bodies may allow public disclosure of their findings, subject to following the proper channels for such disclosure.”

This is coming at a time when the NJC, the body vested with disciplinary powers over judges at all levels, is under public attack for either allegedly shielding corrupt judges or merely giving those found culpable a slap on the wrist.
The criticism of the NJC was sparked by the arrest of seven judges including two serving justices of the Supreme Court over alleged corruption allegations.
In the wake of the arrests, the arresting agency, the Department of State Services, said it took the step after the NJC allegedly rebuffed complaints against some of the arrested judges.

But the NJC has since denied the allegation of shielding corrupt judicial officers.
The new policy was prepared by the NJC in April 2016 but will only be launched under the chairmanship of the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed on Monday.
It covers issues such as judicial appointment policy, judicial discipline policy, judicial code of conduct policy, judicial education and training policy, judicial performance policy, case flow management policy, judicial administration and court management policy and transparency and anti-corruption policy, among others.

The new policy tends to tie the hands of those who have submitted complaints against judges from taking any other step until the NJC completes its investigation.

wirinet:


Does the NJC have the power to do that? Can the NJC bar journalists from carrying out their responsibility as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution? In that case, the executive should also bar and jail any reporter and media outfit that reports alleged misconduct against any member of the executive.

NJC proceedings are not open courtrooms that th press reports neither are their documents open to the public until proper procedures for disclosure are complied with. These rules are meant to preserve the dignity of all persons involved in the process until a final determination is made. Media trial et al is cheap popularity at the expense of victims and they deserve the full protection of the law as innocent until proven guilty and for fair hearing.

It us not designed to shield corrupt persons, that mindset is built when people already decide that an accused person is guilty even before there is a chance to speak.

What the NJC plans to do is just like saying a litigant who has a case in court, should have no right to discuss the case with the media or anyone else until judgment is passed on it. Where does that happen in the world?

So I submit a petition to the NJC, they conduct a secret investigation into it and decide on it the way they like, just as they did in the case of that judge who extorted #200m bribe from that man who is even a private businessman, and I would just go home and sit down because NJC are a body of gods? Nigeria is in irredeemable trouble then.

Again, how is it that the newspapers didn't get to report on this new policy book until today it's launch date, when it's almost late to do anything to stop it?

freeze001:


NJC proceedings are not open courtrooms that th press reports neither are their documents open to the public until proper procedures for disclosure are complied with. These rules are meant to preserve the dignity of all persons involved in the process until a final determination is made. Media trial et al is cheap popularity at the expense of victims and they deserve the full protection of the law as innocent until proven guilty and for fair hearing.

It us not designed to shield corrupt persons, that mindset is built when people already decide that an accused person is guilty even before there is a chance to speak.

Aunty, I disagree, whatever is the design NJC has in mind, this rule or law will definitely serve to shield corrupt persons in the Judiciary.

why does public opinion bothers the NJC so much. if you do right you have nothing to worry about.

public opinion is a powerful moral force anywhere in civilised democracies in the world. why should Nigeria's case be any different?

wirinet:


Does the NJC have the power to do that? Can the NJC bar journalists from carrying out their responsibility as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution? In that case, the executive should also bar and jail any reporter and media outfit that reports alleged misconduct against any member of the executive.

Well taught out comment. The Judiciary is indeed corrupt. Secrecy is a recipe for corruption.

freeze001:


NJC proceedings are not open courtrooms that th press reports neither are their documents open to the public until proper procedures for disclosure are complied with. These rules are meant to preserve the dignity of all persons involved in the process until a final determination is made. Media trial et al is cheap popularity at the expense of victims and they deserve the full protection of the law as innocent until proven guilty and for fair hearing.

It us not designed to shield corrupt persons, that mindset is built when people already decide that an accused person is guilty even before there is a chance to speak.

"In the book against corruption, the first chapter is transparency" if you cannot do the time, don't do the crime.

freeze001:


NJC proceedings are not open courtrooms that th press reports neither are their documents open to the public until proper procedures for disclosure are complied with. These rules are meant to preserve the dignity of all persons involved in the process until a final determination is made. Media trial et al is cheap popularity at the expense of victims and they deserve the full protection of the law as innocent until proven guilty and for fair hearing.

It us not designed to shield corrupt persons, that mindset is built when people already decide that an accused person is guilty even before there is a chance to speak.

Did you read the report at all? Who is talking about NJC proceedings. To help people with reading or comprehension disabilities, I highlighted the unreasonable part of the quote which says that " The National Judicial Council is set to bar media reportage of allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary." This in plain English means the NJC wants to criminize the reportage of any misconduct allegations against all judicial officers, and you are talking about NJC proceedings.
Have the press ever been privy to NJC's proceedings? If the NJC does not invite the press to their proceedings or give a press statement on the outcome of their proceedings, how will the press report it?.
To bar the press from reporting any allegations against any judicial officer is judicial tyranny.