Skip to main content

3 judges sacked for judicial malpractices

Justices Oloyede and Yunusa

Justices Oloyede and Yunusa

The National Judicial Council of Nigeria (NJC) has dismissed Justice Mohammed Yunusa and two other judges for judicial malpractices.

SaharaReporters reports that the NJC met on Thursday and Friday to consider several allegations of judicial misconduct by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Justice Olamide Falahanmi Oloyede of the Osun High Court, and an unnamed judge from Benue State. At the end of its deliberations, the NJC decided that the three judges deserved to be dismissed for acts of gross misconduct.

An NJC source stated that Justice Yunusa had the worst case, with numerous petitions accusing him of receiving kickbacks and bribes. He was also accused of writing and delivering two different judgments in one case.

Our NJC source disclosed that one of the strongest cases against Justice Yunusa was his decision to grant an interlocutory injunction stopping the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from investigating and arresting Senator Stella Oduah, a former Minister of Aviation, who is the target of an EFCC investigation. Ms. Oduah is accused of massive embezzlement of public funds and numerous acts of fraud in contracts.

Justice Yunusa had been in the public eye after federal prosecutors commenced the prosecution of a well-known lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, as well as other persons accused of bribing judges. Justice Yunusa was named as the major recipient of bribes from Mr. Tarfa, whose trial is ongoing.

The judge became notorious for granting injunctions aimed at stopping law enforcement agencies from carrying out their investigative duties, especially in cases related to corruption by major public figures. “We found out that Justice Mohammed Yunusa basically committed acts that amounted to subversion of the course of justice,” an NJC source said.

Justice Oloyede, a female judge in Osun State, was also sacked by the NJC. In 2015, Ms. Oloyede caused a scandal when, as a serving judge, she petitioned the Osun State House of Assembly urging them to impeach Governor Rauf Aregbesola whom she accused of corruption.

Our NJC sources said the judges were dismissed after an exhaustive investigation determined that they were guilty of various acts of grave misconduct.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg
Post a Comment
Read more

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i
Post a Comment
Read more

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do
Post a Comment
Read more