Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Sunday criticised the Nigerian Bar Association for demanding the unconditional release of the judges arrested by the Department of State Services between Friday and Saturday.
He described the demand by the leadership of the NBA as an embarrassment to the “incorruptible members of the bar”.
The operatives of the DSS had raided the official quarters of judges at Abuja, Gombe, Kano and Port Harcourt and ended up arresting at least four judicial officers.
The arrested judicial officers comprised two Justices of the Supreme Court – Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro – as well as Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and another judge of the Gombe State High Court, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga.
In a statement issued at the end of the raid, the DSS alleged that the suspects had engaged in judicial misconduct and corrupt practices, adding that a huge amount of money was recovered from three of the judges.
In response to the raid, the NBA had declared a state of emergency and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the judges.
Falana, however, criticised the move, saying, “In particular, the Nigerian Bar Association which has information on all corrupt judges and lawyers in the country has continued to shield them to the embarrassment of incorruptible members of the bar and the bench.
“The few lawyers who have plucked up the courage to expose corrupt judges and lawyers have been stigmatised and treated like lepers by their colleagues.
“It is on record that when both the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sent invitation letters to judges suspected of corruption they had rushed to the Federal High Court to obtain interlocutory injunctions to prevent their arrest, investigation and prosecution.”
He said members of the legal profession had themselves to blame for the harassment of judges by security forces as they had failed to take advantage of the relevant statutory disciplinary bodies to purge the bar and the bench of corrupt elements.
“It is on account of negligence on the part of the legal profession that the SSS which screens candidates before they are recommended by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges has now engaged in the arrest of judges for alleged corruption and abuse of office,” he said.
Falana, however, said because the detained judges “are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State, they should be admitted to bail in self recognisance.”
He urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to ensure that the judges were immediately arraigned without delay.
He lamented the state of the legal profession, saying, “It is a matter of grave concern that the legal profession has allowed the denigration of the hallowed temple of justice because of the misconduct of a few corrupt judges.
“For several years, judges who committed grave criminal offences were not prosecuted but merely retired by the authorities on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
“Although the National Judicial Council recently recommended the dismissal and prosecution of a judge for extorting the sum of N197m from a litigant the authorities had paid lip service to the menace of judicial corruption in the country.” http://punchng.com/falana-condemns-nbas-demand-for-unconditional-release-of-arrested-judges/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Mr falana seems to be the only sane person in the whole judicial system. I know some (okonjo) e-wailers would come & start making 'NOI'se [pun intended] forgetting the fact that you've also criticized the government severally.

this man brain is now functioning normal

Gen gen!!! But wait o,where this falz papa belong self?

Good one.... The system must be sanitized. Imagine a judge calling a governor for help to prevent arrest instead of calling his fellow judges or head judge. And the Governor mobilized the state apparatus to the scene..... What does that tell you?

Ehiscotch:
F

F for Falz the bahd guy

well said.... if our judicial system can be cleanse then Nigeria will be born again. .. The only way to get these notorious criminals is by 'operation commando'... if we want to go by the books or law of the land, these guys know the laws and even the loop holes of the law than anyone so COMMANDO STYLE is d koko...
carry go PMB
carry go DSS
Nigeria must be great again.

He has a point sha, but due process is important--let's not forget.

emerged01:

F for Falz the bahd guy

Falz go take after him father nau! F for Falz. F for FTC

[size=15pt]A lawyer( a member of NBA) was murdered in Rivers State by political thugs Sponsored by Nyesom Wike, the NBA Saw nothing, heard nothing and did nothing.

Now
5 corrupt judges were arrested on allegation of judgement racketeering and less than 24 hours later the NBA has declared a state of emergency....
[/size]
I Say May Thunder Fire NBA!

I still don't know what was running through the mind of those NBA executive when they were foaming from the mouth yesterday. They actually thought Nigerians will fall for their bravado as if we don't know that some of them are hands in glove with these corrupt judges.

Afonja lawyers keep betraying us....

kahal29:
Good one.... The system must be sanitized. Imagine a judge calling a governor for help to prevent arrest instead of calling his fellow judges or head judge. And the Governor mobilized the state apparatus to the scene..... What does that tell you?

What could his fellow judges have done for him by that time?

Femi Falana is a zombie in disguise. He is more corrupt than those supreme court judges

onomeasike:
I still don't know what was running through the mind of those NBA executive when they were foaming from the mouth yesterday. They actually thought Nigerians will fall for their bravado as if we don't know that some of them are hands in glove with these corrupt judges.

l
Who are "Nigerians" I hope you are not referring to zombies

saintkash:
well said.... if our judicial system can be cleanse then Nigeria will be born again. .. The only way to get these notorious criminals is by 'operation commando'... if we want to go by the books or law of the land, these guys know the laws and even the loop holes of the law than anyone so COMMANDO STYLE is d koko...
carry go PMB
carry go DSS
Nigeria must be great again.

After all the commando style, they will still come back to the judiciary to adjudicate on the matter

NBA was trying to GrandStand for nothing.

If they go on strike, who will go hungry and who cares? The Judiciary must purge itself of corruption and corrupt judges.

NJC has been a toothless bulldog for long. It has been condoning corrupt practises in the judiciary. Definitely their chickens have come to roost.

I was expecting such from him.But why did it took him days to show up? Maybe his own Amala and ewedu came a bit late.



This same thief that defended buhari's certificate saga without telling him to show it to the nation is here blabbing about corruption.

iPod slaves, food is ready- come Wail your hearts away. Your river of tears quench my thirst.

SuperS1Panther:
NBA was trying to GrandStand for nothing.

If they go on strike, who will go hungry and who cares? The Judiciary must purge itself of corruption and corrupt judges.

NJC has been a toothless bulldog for long. It has been condoning corrupt practises in the judiciary. Definitely their chickens have come to roost.

Is it not still the Judges at the NJC that would adjudicate over the trial?

Progressive01:
iPod slaves, food is ready- come Wail your hearts away.

Lol

Afonjas and the fulani herdsmen claiming Benue state will love this nonsense.

Has Falana been sacked from the board of SERAP?

Why is he contradicting himself? SERAP demands unconditional release of Judges

www.channelstv.com/2016/10/09/serap-demands-judges-release-threatens-to-sue-buhari/

SERAP is threatening to sue Buhari while one of its board member is issuing a contradictory statement in support of his political affiliation.

D best statement from Falana in ages

NgeneUkwenu:
BY

Even if you put dot (.) alone, I go still like your comment. . So much love how you torment the Bonobo Miscreants.

Femi Falana? Since that Ekiti saga i knew he didn't study law in any school but probably studied confusion & hypocrisy in an NURTW approved motor park

LO

Progressive01:
Even if you put dot (.) alone, I go still like your comment. . So much love how you torment the Bonobo Miscreants.

No Peace for Them!

[s]

NgeneUkwenu:
LO

No Peace for Them!

[/s]

sound like a broken record dude grow up man stop acting below your age make someone out there proud. your people still cares

[s]

Progressive01:
Even if you put dot (.) alone, I go still like your comment. . So much love how you torment the Bonobo Miscreants.

[/s]

trash

Even FBI had arrested Judges in the past, so why the wailing?