Tunde Opalana, Abuja
The Supreme Court judgement quashing the sentencing of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been commended and backed by the Nigerian Law Reform Commission ( NLRC ).
Acting Chairman of the Commission , Professor Jummai Audi said the judgement of the lower court against Orji Uzor Kalu was an absurdity on account of the Justice who completed hearing and ruled on the case.
Recall that Justice Mohammed Idris on the 5th of December 2019 jailed the former Abia State governor 12 year for squandering state funds.
She made the declaration on Wednesday while appearing before the Senate Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters to defend her recent nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari as substantive Chairman of NLRC.
Professor Audi said : “On the Orji Uzor Kalu’s case, I think it is an absurdity.
” The administration of criminal justice has to be amended because you can not say that a Judge, who by law has been appointed to a higher level should step down in order to decide a case and then caterpault himself up again to his normal position.
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“We can read a lot of intention to that which is unconstitutional, undemocratic and unacceptable. Because it is not acceptable, the decision taken by that arrangement cannot stand” .
According to her, since provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA) , relied upon for the judgement , cannot override that of the 1999 Constitution , it will have to be amended .
Virtually all the members of the committee like Senators James Manager ( PDP Delta South), Peter Nwaoboshi ( PDP Delta North) , Chukwuka Utazi ( PDP Enugu North) , Gabriel Suswam ( PDP Benue North East ) and Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia ( APC Jigawa North) , supported the submission by chorusing ” you are well guided”.
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