Judiciary: Outlook for 2018
The judiciary is entering the New Year with over two dozen high profile cases ripe for judgment or hearing.
These cases include the separate trial of former governors of Plateau and Taraba states, Senator Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame where hearing has been concluded and the stage now set for judgment in the first quarter of the year.
The cases are being heard by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court in Gudu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Nyame in a 21-count charge of misappropriating Taraba funds to the tune of N1.64 billion while it charged Dariye of allegedly diverting about N1.162 billion from the state’s Ecological Fund to private companies and individuals.
Also, the decision of Senate President Bukola Saraki and the EFCC to cross appeal against the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered Saraki to return to the Code of Conduct Tribunal to face trial on three counts charges would be another key legal battle in the year.
Several other former governors whose trials are at different stages before the court include Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Murtala Nyako and Umar Fintiri (Adamawa), Ikedi Ohakim (Imo), and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Others that are also facing corruption trials are Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa state); Akwe Doma (Nasarawa state); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun state); Alo Akala (Oyo state); Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo state); and Danjuma Goje (Gombe).
There are also several judges standing trial for alleged corruption and judicial misconduct.
They include Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court and Justice James Agbadu Fishim of the National Industrial court.
The multiple trials of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, both at the Federal and FCT High Courts is expected to commence properly in 2018, even as Dasuki and his counsels are hoping the federal government honours the three bails already granted to him as well as the order of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
The matter of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem ElZakzaky who had also been in detention since 2015 despite several calls and court order for his release, is also expected to dominate the public sphere with hearing scheduled for government’s appeal against the court order.
While the whereabouts of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is still unknown, Nigerians will be eager to know the fate of the trial of will be when the case resumes before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
With several court orders directing the forfeitures of properties and monies allegedly traced to former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke in 2017 and her attempt to secure her repatriation to Nigeria to answer charges filed against her, 2018 is expected to bring in new twists.
The trial of Maryam Sanda, her mother and brother over their alleged roles in the death of Bilyamin Bello, a son of former PDP Chairman, Bello Halliru Mohammed is also another legal battle carried over from 2017 that is expected to be of public interest.