HON. JUSTICE MUNTAKA COOMASSIE: THE EXIT OF AN ICON

It is with a heavy heart we have received the demise of Hon. Justice Muntaka Coomassie.

Born on February 10, 1946 in Zaria, Kaduna State, Justice Muntaka Coomassie initially trained to be a teacher. He taught Arabic and English language in Kaduna and Zaria. He voluntarily left teaching profession as the Principal of Provincial Arabic School in Fada, Zaria, Kaduna State, after a decade spent in the profession.

He obtained his Law degree (LL.B) in 1976 from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1977.

He served as a State Counsel at the Ministry of Justice in Kwara and Kaduna States.

In 1978, he was a magistrate in the Saminaka Magisterial District. In 1981 he became a Chief Magistrate. And in 1986, he became the Deputy Chief Registrar (CR) of the High Court of Kaduna State before he finally became the Chief Registrar in 1987.

Hon. Justice Muntaka Commassie was appointed a judge of the Kaduna High Court in November 1988. Prior to his elevation to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2008, he served in Port Harcourt, Jos, Abuja, Ilorin and Benin divisions of the Court of Appeal.

He was a foremost expert and specialist in Islamic Law with a compelling knowledge of it. He was a determined practitioner of his religion.

In the area of Criminal Law, he has used his insightful judgments to save accused persons who had been wrongfully condemned to death by the lower courts but who have appealed to the apex court.

Justice Muntaka-Coomassie has always maintained a pleasant and cordial relationship with the Bar. He was on 31st January, 2009, presented with an Award of Excellence by the Nigerian Bar Association, Kaduna Branch in recognition of his immense contributions to the development of the legal system.

He was reported to have died of a brief illness.

Partly culled from dailytrust

Thank you for reading. My name is Sani Ammani Esq. It pleases me to read, comforts me to write and delights me to talk. Stick with my posts and you'll never be sad again.

Njj

Rip to Him

....incase...

May his gentle soul rest in peace