Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

The National Judicial Council, NJC on Friday wielded the big stick against three  senior judges-  the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike for various acts of malpractices.

The Council recommended compulsory retirement of two of the Judges, while it asked that the third – Justice Kabiru M. Auta of the High Court of Justice, Kano State, be dismissed  immediately for official misconduct.

The acting Director (Information) of NJC Mr. Soji Oye who said this in a statement on Friday added that Auta is also to be handed over to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 1, Kano State, for prosecution.

The three judges are to proceed on suspension immediately pending the acceptance of the NJC recommendations by President Mohammadu Buhari (in the case of Justice Tsamiya), Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (in the case of Justice Umezulike) and Kano Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (in the case of Justice Auta).

NJC said Tsamiya abused his office by accepting bribe in respect of a 2015 election case pending before an appeal panel in which he was a member.

On the other hand, Umezulike was indicted for conducting himself in a manner that conflicted with his position as a judicial officer.

Auta’s offence, according to NJC  was that he collected money from a contractor with promise that he will help him get a  contract, a promise which he never fulfilled.

The decision to sanction the judges was reached at the last NJC meeting held on September 29, 2016.

“Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal was recommended for compulsory retirement from office to President Muhammadu Buhari, pursuant to the ‘findings’ by the Council in the petition written by Nnamdi Iro Oji against him and Hon. Justices Husseini Muktar, F. O. Akinbami and J. Y. Tukur, all Justices of Court of Appeal who sat on Election Appeal panel in the Owerri division of the court during the 2015 general elections.

“The petition contains the following allegations, among others:- Corruption, malice and vindictiveness; and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on the same issue in similar matters in appeal CA/OW/EPT/SN/50/2015: Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex vs. Hon. Mao Onuabunwa & Anor;CA/OW/EPT/SN/47/2015; Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu & Anor vs Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa & Ors; and CA/OW/EPT/HR/61/2015: Nnamdi Iro Oji Vs Nkole Uko Ndukwe & 16 Ors,” Oye said in the statement.