Recall of Suspended Judges: Is NJC for or Against Anti-Corruption Fight?
Did you hear the news?
What news? You mean the recall of the accused judges?
Whatever,Yes. Discerning Nigerians are peeved that such an important institution like the National Judicial Council (NJC) is failing, if not refusing to cooperate with the federal government on this onerous task of combating corruption in this country.
What do you mean by the NJC is refusing to cooperate with the federal government on the fight against corruption?
Need you ask? Is it not self evident? Are you not in this country? Did you not hear of the many atrocious allegations against the suspended judges? How they stocked large sums of foreign and local currencies in their homes? How some of them even have unlicensed arms in their homes , just as some have two passports among many other allegations? Didn’t you hear the story at the time?
I am happy you have described them as allegations? Have you not heard the legal maxim that he who alleges proves? Do you realise the homes of the judges were raided in October last year? Yes, the DSS claimed it recovered huge sums of money from the homes of the judges. But why has the DSS or the EFCC of the Police etc., not had the courage to charge all the judges to court, eight months after? Are the accused judges supposed to remain in suspension forever while they are being paid their salaries for doing nothing? Do I need to remind you that all suspects or accused persons are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction? Or did you expect the NJC to stand aside and look while the career of the learned judges is being rubbished and ruined by an indecisive government?
You don’t understand.Two of the judges are already being tried. One of them, Justice Ademola was unduly discharged and acquitted.The other judge is yet facing trial. But the point we are making is that the allegations against the judges themselves are sufficiently indicting. It vitiates the honour and supposed impeccable integrity of the judges in such a way that the public confidence in them to dispense justice freely and fairly is greatly injured. Like Ceaser’s wife, they must be above board and come really clean on all matters. But you and I know that many of them are anything but impeccable.
What if it is proven that the allegations are frivolous and mischievous?
Let them explain how they got those huge sums of money. Don’t we know their salaries? Have we not had cases where judges hold secret meetings with representatives of people standing trial in their courts? Is it not public knowledge? How can these judges live as large and swim in wanton opulence as we have seen? Let me tell you.The NJC is not keen on dealing with the corrupt judges.They say dogs don’t eat dogs. I don’t see the NJC truly coming down hard on their colleagues.The council is seemingly protecting their own.
Agreed, let them be given the chance to explain their questionable wealth in a court of law. The federal Government cannot embark on an endless voyage of discovery in an attempt to prosecute accused persons. The fact that for eight months, the EFCC has not been able to arraign the recalled judges means that the prosecuting agencies are just not serious. No responsible professional council can tolerate that level of negligence And that explains why there is a huge investment in media trials, after which the EFCC goes to sleep. Little wonder that despite the hue and cry of the array of allegations against high profile persons, very few convictions have been achieved by the EFCC.
That is not true. Did you not hear that the EFCC has secured 140 convictions in six months and has also recovered billions of dollars?
The NJC will deal with any judge found to have contravened the rules. But it has to be proven. Nothing can be done whimsically. The NJC does not shield corrupt judges. .