The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the
immediate retirement of some judges after an emergency meeting of the
body late last night.
immediate retirement of some judges after an emergency meeting of the
body late last night.
Close sources to the meeting said two judges are in the
blackbook.
blackbook.
They are Justice Thomas D. Naron and Justice Charles Archibong.
But another source said Justice Abubakar Talba who gave the
scandalous judgement in the case of the multi-billionaire pension thief, Yakubu
Yusuf, asking him to pay a fine of N750,000, is also on the list.
scandalous judgement in the case of the multi-billionaire pension thief, Yakubu
Yusuf, asking him to pay a fine of N750,000, is also on the list.
The NJC officials said a statement will be issued later today.
P.M.NEWS sources at the NJC
denied that Talba was among the judges recommended for retirement.
denied that Talba was among the judges recommended for retirement.
Justice Thomas Naron presided over the Osun state election
petition tribunal where he shamelessly communicated with the lawyer to
then Osun state governor to thwart the course of justice,.
petition tribunal where he shamelessly communicated with the lawyer to
then Osun state governor to thwart the course of justice,.
Justice Charles Archibong handled the case of disgraced banker,
Erastus Akingbola.
Erastus Akingbola.
At the meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria,
CJN, Justice Mariam Mukhtar, at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, the NJC
called for the immediate compulsory retirement of the judges on ethical
grounds.
CJN, Justice Mariam Mukhtar, at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, the NJC
called for the immediate compulsory retirement of the judges on ethical
grounds.
The recommendations have been forwarded to President Goodluck
Jonathan who has the power of final approval.
Jonathan who has the power of final approval.
Justice Naron was investigated by the NJC for the scandalous
ruling he led three other judges to give as the first election petition
tribunal in Osun Stateafter the controversial 2007 elections.
ruling he led three other judges to give as the first election petition
tribunal in Osun Stateafter the controversial 2007 elections.
The judges were believed to have been compromised by the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, government of the then governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Democratic Party, PDP, government of the then governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Call logs published by TheNEWS Magazine later showed that
Justice Naron and Mr. Oyinlola’s lawyer, Kunle Kalejaiye, had secret
discussions prior to the controversial ruling.
Justice Naron and Mr. Oyinlola’s lawyer, Kunle Kalejaiye, had secret
discussions prior to the controversial ruling.
Oyinlola was later sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced
with the authentic winner of the election, Rauf Aregbesola.
with the authentic winner of the election, Rauf Aregbesola.
The NJC was silent on the cases of two other rogue judges, Mr.
Ibrahim Buba, the judge that granted a permanent injunction restraining the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting, questioning or
interrogating former governor Peter Odili of Rivers State as well as Mr.
Justice Marcel Awokulehin, the judge who cleared former governor James Ibori of
all fraud charges in 2009.
Ibrahim Buba, the judge that granted a permanent injunction restraining the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting, questioning or
interrogating former governor Peter Odili of Rivers State as well as Mr.
Justice Marcel Awokulehin, the judge who cleared former governor James Ibori of
all fraud charges in 2009.
PM.NEWS learnt that the NJC has also refered the case of Kunle
Kalejaiye, SAN to the NBA.
Kalejaiye, SAN to the NBA.
Source: PMNews
