Looters’ trial: NJC replaces Salami with Galadima as panel chairman

Andrew Orolua
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has named a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Suleiman Galadima as new Chairman of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO).

A statement signed by the director of Information NJC Soji Oye Esq. stated that Justice Galadima replaced Justice Ayo Salami who rejected the offer as chairman weeks after accepting to serve.

The committee will be inaugurated today by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, at the Council’s Conference Hall by 2pm. Justice Galadima, was born October 1946 in Nasarawa State.

He attended Government College Keffi where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate in 1965 before he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Law in 1977 and was called to the Bar after he graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1978.

He later received a master’s degree in Law from the University of Jos in 1985. He joined the Anambra State Judiciary as Magistrate on July 1988 and in 1990, he was appointed as Attorney General and the Commissioner for Justice, Plateau state. On May 1991, he became the High Court Judge of Plateau State.

At the creation of Nasarawa State in 1996, he was appointed as its pioneer Chief Judge of the State. On December 9, 1998, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal and on August 2010, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He retired on October 10, 2016, at the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

Justice Galadima is famous for his leading judgement in Shina Oketaolegun Vs. State, SC. 334A/2012, wherein he held that the Court of Appeal correctly reviewed the evidence led by both the prosecution and the defence in which he agreed that the evidence of one credible witness can justify conviction.

Other members of the Committee are ; the Chief Judge ,Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah, Chief Judge, Imo State, Justice P.O. Nnadi, Chief Judge Delta State, Justice Marsahal Umukoro, Chief Judge, Oyo State Justice M. L. Abimbola, President, Nigerian Bar Association, A.B Mahmoud (SAN), Former NBA Presidents: Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Mr. J.B Daudu (SAN),Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), Other members of the committee are; Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) and Mrs. R.I Inga from NJC, a representative of Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Hajara Yusuf, representative, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Alhaji Kabiru Alkali Mohammed, a representative, Non-Governmental Organisations, Olanrewaju Sirajo and NJC Secretary Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Esq who will serve as the committee Secretary.

The Daily Times recalls that the CJN had in response to the concern expressed by members of the public on the every slow speed with which corruption cases were being heard and disposed of by Courts set up the committee last month. Specifically, the committee is to fast track the administration of Criminal Justice.

The CJN had in pursuit of the goal directed the Heads of Court to set up Special Courts to speedily hear and determine corruption and financial crime cases and forward the comprehensive list to the Council. Council approved the constitution of the Committee at its 82ndMeeting of 27th September, 2017 with the following Terms of Reference:
– i).To monitor and regularly evaluate the progress and activities of courts designated to try corruption an financial/ economic crime cases;

ii). Advise on Practice Directions for approval by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to be applicable in all such courts across the country with a view to eliminating procedural and administrative bottlenecks militating against speedy disposal of such cases;

iii). Advise on the trainings, re-trainings and other refresher programmes for Judges and staff of the designated courts aimed at enhancing their capacities to function effectively;

iv). Come up with an effective feedback mechanism from Heads of Courts to the Council on the activities and progress of cases before designated courts;

V). Generally advise Council on the day-to-day strategies for the monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the designated courts and on strategies for improvement in performance.