Alleged Professional Misconduct: 27 Federal and State High Court Judges To Face Four NJC Probe Panels
National Judicial Council to probe 27 high court judges for professional misconduct, while 5 judges are placed on watchlist for poor performance, facing potential sanctions if improvements aren't made.
...As five judges are placed on watchlist over laziness
A total of 27 high court judges are to be probed over various allegations of professional misconduct levelled against them across the country.
Already, the National Judicial Council, NJC, has constituted four probe panels to investigate the affected judges over allegations of judicial misconduct brought against them.
Already, the National Judicial Council, NJC, has constituted four probe panels to investigate the affected judges over allegations of judicial misconduct brought against them.
The NJC placed five judges on its pre-sanction watchlist register over poor performance and would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they fail to improve on their performances.
The Council made these known at its 106th meeting presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in Abuja, according to a statement signed by its Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye on Friday, noting however, that the remaining 18 petitions were either discountenanced for lacking in merit, abandoned or being subjudice.
The NJC also advised Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to exercise caution before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
Olagunju was alleged to have used uncouth language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging the Council’s decision and its Policy Direction on appointment of the President Courts f the of the Customary Court of Appeal, in the state.
According to Oye, the NJC considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 judicial officers of the federal and state High Courts, following the report of the preliminary committee.
The NJC also advised Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to exercise caution before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
Olagunju was alleged to have used uncouth language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging the Council’s decision and its Policy Direction on appointment of the President Courts f the of the Customary Court of Appeal, in the state.
According to Oye, the NJC considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 judicial officers of the federal and state High Courts, following the report of the preliminary committee.
The Council therefore, set up four committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were considered meritorious.
The discountenanced petitions included those against Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President Court of Appeal, and Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru and Abdulazeez Waziri all of the Court of Appeal.
Others are Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court, and Justices Z. B. Abubakar, James. Kolawole Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court.
The rest are Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
The outgoing CJN, Justice Ariwoola at the meeting, which was the last before his retirement, commended the cooperation he received from members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend same to his successor even as members, also, eulogized him and wished him well in retirement.
The discountenanced petitions included those against Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President Court of Appeal, and Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru and Abdulazeez Waziri all of the Court of Appeal.
Others are Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court, and Justices Z. B. Abubakar, James. Kolawole Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court.
The rest are Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
The outgoing CJN, Justice Ariwoola at the meeting, which was the last before his retirement, commended the cooperation he received from members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend same to his successor even as members, also, eulogized him and wished him well in retirement.
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