To Expedite Corruption Trial, Federal High Court Reshuffles Judges
Affected 10 judges to swap residences
In a clear demonstration of renewed commitment to make sure corruption and financial crimes cases are determined faster, the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Adamu Kafarati, has announced a major reshuffle of judges.
In the shake-up, announced on October 3, ten judges have been transferred from their present divisions to other divisions across the country.
A copy of the circular obtained by THISDAY at the weekend reads: "In view of the recent circular by the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria regarding the need to clear corruption and criminal cases, I have decided to reshuffle the current posting of judges as contained hereunder.
"The judges affected by this transfer are expected to resume in their new divisions on the 23rd October, 2017 and they are to take over the residence occupied by the judges they are taking over from."
The directive that judges affected by the transfer should take over residence occupied by those they are taking over from may be aimed at ensuring quick relocation of all the judges to their new stations.
Among the affected judges are: Justice S. Saidu, from Kwara State but presently sitting at the Port Harcourt's division of the court, now moves to Lagos; Justice B.B. Aliyu from Zamfara State sitting at the Yola division now moves to Port Harcourt; Justice I.M. Sani from Kaduna State currently sitting at Lokoja division is to resume in Uyo; Justice I.L. Ojukwu from Abia State currently sitting at Uyo division, now moves to Abuja; and Justice D.U. Okorowo from Enugu State currently sitting at Ekiti division now moves to Lokoja.
Others are: Justice Uche Nma Agomoh, an indigene of Abia State who currently sits at the Port Harcourt division, will now to resume at the Ekiti division; Justice F.O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo, who hails from Ondo State, moves from Abeokuta to Port Harcourt; Justice Adamu Turaki Muhammed from Jigawa State currently sitting at the Abeokuta division now moves to Port Harcourt; Justice Ibrahim Watila from Borno State, who presently sits at the Port Harcourt division, moves to Abeokuta; and Justice A.M.Z. Anka from Zamfara State, moves from Lagos to Yola.
During the special session of the Supreme Court to mark the commencement of the 2017/2018 legal year, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, had expressed concern at the slow pace at which corruption cases were determined by the courts.
He said: "We, in the judiciary are fully aware and in fact worried by concerns expressed by members of the public on the very slow speed with which corruption cases in particular are being heard or determined by our Courts."
The CJN then noted that although the Administration of Criminal Justice Act contains many commendable provisions aimed at speeding up the process of criminal prosecution generally, it was clear that, "we still need to employ more strategies to support and strengthen this law in fast tracking the criminal justice system."
He consequently directed all heads of courts to compile and forward to the National Judicial Council, comprehensive lists of all corruption and financial crime cases being handled by their various courts.
He also directed them to designate in their various jurisdictions, one or more courts, depending on the volume of such cases, as special courts solely for the purpose of hearing and speedily determining corruption and financial crime cases.
"Where such cases come on appeal, to either the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, Special Dates on each week, shall be fixed solely for hearing and determining such appeals," Onnoghen had said.