Law enforcement officers involved in investigating corrupt Nigerian judges arrested over the weekend have told Saharareporters how the main national body saddled with punishing judges have made it impossible to prosecute the judges even after they found guilty by the same body, the National Judicial Council.
Law enforcement officers involved in investigating corrupt Nigerian judges arrested over the weekend have told Saharareporters how the main national body saddled with punishing judges have made it impossible to prosecute the judges even after they found guilty by the same body, the National Judicial Council.

They revealed that in the cases of judges arrested over the weekend by the Department of State Security they had written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed a month earlier regarding the criminal conduct of some of the judges but the CJN who is the presiding chairman at the NJC refused to let the judges be interrogated. They said before the invitation by the DSS; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had also tried to interrogate judges with whom they found substantial sums of bribe money but the NJC had insisted that the sanctions by the body were sufficient. In most cases, corrupt judges are given compulsory retirement and left to enjoy their loot.

The NJC is made up a committee headed by the CJN as chairman while the second most senior judge at the Supreme Court, in this case, Walter Onnoghen is deputy chair, others includes the President of the Court of Appeal, five chief judges of state high courts chosen by the CJN, five legal practitioners and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

The current composition of the NJC also presents a problem, according to an EFCC official some members of the NJC are themselves corrupt and have been shown to be heavily involved in corruption. They pointed to immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Austin Alegeh who has petitions pending at the EFCC accusing him of embezzlement of NBA funds.

Also, another former President of the NBA, Joseph Daudu who chairs the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee has a case against him at EFCC over embezzlement of settlement fees paid to Nigeria by Halliburton.

Ricky Tarfa, a senior lawyer, involved a maze of corrupt activities involving several judges is also a member of Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, a body saddled with choosing senior lawyers known as “Senior Advocate of Nigeria.” Mr. Tarfa he has retained his position despite being charged with bribery and corruption.

More troubling for law enforcement agents is the attitude of the outgoing CJN who they accused of shielding a judge of the Court of Appeal, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who reportedly received N8 million from Mr. Tarfa. Despite her indictment, the CJN has recommended her for elevation to the Supreme Court.
A former CJN, Justice Katsina-Alu had also prevented Justice Umaru Eri of the National Judicial Institute in 2011 from honoring an invitation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission over allegations that N6 billion went missing at his agency. Eri remained as the chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee until his retirement.

One of the cases involving now-retired Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court in the Abuja Division in 2014 was also cited as the reason the NJC has become a useless body; the judge was found by the EFCC to possess over N2 billion in her bank accounts. As soon as the EFCC summoned her to appear she rushed to the court of Justice Adeniyi Ademola to obtain an order to stop the EFCC from acting on her case. She was later “compulsorily retired” by the NJC. Meanwhile, Justice Ademola was one of the judges arrested over the weekend with $500,000 found in his bedroom.

Soon after seven judges including two Supreme Court justices were arrested in overnight raids carried out by the DSS, the CJN met with President Muhammadu Buhari to ask for their release.

Sources at the Presidency said while President Buhari assured him that the raids were not targeted at the judiciary but corrupt judges the CJN showed the president of some persons close to him who had funneled monies to judges to influence them in recent election cases.

The President then reluctantly asked the DSS to release all the arrested judges on Sunday pending their arraignment in court.

The NJC is expected to meet today to discuss the recent clampdown on corrupt judges. The DSS has reportedly sent a detailed report of its investigations against the arrested judges and eight others under investigation to the NJC to aid their deliberations and decisions, however, a source knowledgeable about today's meeting said the NJC was to fight back strongly against the DSS not to ratify its actions against corrupt judges.

source...http://saharareporters.com/2016/10/11/how-nigerian-national-judicial-council-shields-corrupt-judges

Ok

Jail all Corrupt Judges

Such a pity and a shame honestly. These guys really consider themselves above the law. How could the NJC usurp the "prosecutoral" powers of the anti-criminal agencies as though it is solely their responsibility to punish errant members of the bar? This is mighty absurd and regrettable.

Sometimes, I'm inclined to believe we need no less than a military dictator to rid the system of the rot that seems to have found a permanent root and flourishing like rice in a marshland.

Who takes SR serious?

dunkem21:
Who takes SR serious?

I do!!!

And other well meaning nigerians

But if twas a case of buruntai and dubia property, u will take them serious

Hypo!!!

It seems the institution of govt is more of a liability & an unjust burden on citizens tthis days.

lustychima:
I do!!!

And other well meaning nigerians

But if twas a case of buruntai and dubia property, u will take them serious

Hypo!!!

..and you don't take them serious if it was Buruntai and Dubai property

Progressive01:
Such a pity and a shame honestly. These guys really consider themselves above the law. How could the NJC usurp the "prosecutoral" powers of the anti-criminal agencies as though it is solely their responsibility to punish errant members of the bar? This is mighty absurd and regrettable.

Sometimes, I'm inclined to believe we need no less than a military dictator to rid the system of the rot that seems to have found a permanent root and flourishing like rice in a marshland.

Well said bro

Imagine retiring corrupt judge with full benefit

And now asking them to return their loots by instalment

But when common man steal knor cube, all the english in dictionary will finish,just to dash him 23yrs imprisonment

Ji si ike(well done) baba & DSS

Nigeria is not ripe to run democracy.

dunkem21:


..and you don't take them serious if it was Buruntai and Dubai property

I won't respond to figment of ur imaginations

Check next door

Sahara should also tell us how buhari is shielding corrupt executive members, corruption should not be a fight against those only in the legislature and judiciary.

Buhari is trying to gag the other arms of govt, Nigerians should thank God that people like ekweremadu and saraki are at the helms of affairs in the Senate, if not the legislature would have been another arm of buhari executive a total rubber stamp, he has almost failed in the legislature he is now experimenting the judiciary.

Fight corruption but fight is all round not selectively

The price for liberty is eternal vigilance. Nigerians should be vigilant else we would slide back into dictatorship.

lustychima:
I won't respond to figment of ur imaginations

Check next door

You would've just minded your lane

hmmm

Tough times requires tough measures

If being a dictator is wat is needed to cleanse this country of corruption in higher place, then it's welcome development

If u are not a witch den u have no case with witch hunt........in other words if u are not corrupt u have nothing to fear

Nice one baba

This is sad reading.
From the corrupt appeal court judge indicted for N8m bribe being recommended for elevation to the supreme court to the president seemingly backing down after being presented with evidence of presidency officials and appointees channelling bribes to judges,everything about this story is depressing.
I had this fear that the president may again disappoint after gaining the masses support in this judiciary fight and the signs are beginning to manifest that as soon as those close to him are also fingered,the DSS may be asked to gradually start backpedalling.
This maybe one of the most heavily backed,but highly compromised govts this nation has.

Buhari's allies are part of those inducing the justices with money. More reason why I want the Justices interrogated further.

Buhari should fight corruption wholly!!!

tommykiwi:
the CJN showed the president of some persons close to him who had funneled monies to judges to influence them in recent election cases.
The President then reluctantly asked the DSS to release all the arrested judges on Sunday pending their arraignment in court.
source...http://saharareporters.com/2016/10/11/how-nigerian-national-judicial-council-shields-corrupt-judges

Am sorry I no longer care, do my job mind my business.

I tire for those people. Judiciary is our problem in this country .

When a court tells you that electronic card reader cannot be admitted in a court, you know something is wrong.