NJC sacks Justices Abosi, Liman
.Recommends 70 judicial officers for appointment
.Sets up c’ttee for Courts to resume functioning fully
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended compulsory retirement of the Acting President, Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State, Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi and Justice Aliyu Musa Liman of Bauchi State High Court of Justice with immediate effect.
NJC recommended Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi for compulsory retirement at its 91st meeting held online on April 22 and 23, 2020. Justice Abosi was found to have falsified his date of birth from 1950 to 1958.
“Findings showed that he was supposed to have retired in November, 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of Sixty-five (65) years.
“Council decided to recommend for his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and to also deduct the salaries he had earned from November, 2015 to date from his retirement benefit.
NJC asked the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, for compulsory retirement of Justice Aliyu Musa Liman of the Bauchi State High Court for his failure to deliver judgement in suit No BA/100/2010, between Abubakar Isa and Sheik Tahir Usman Bauchi within the three months period stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Council viewed His Lordship’s failure to deliver judgement for nearly four years as a misconduct, contrary to Section 292 (1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and Rules 1.3 and 3.7 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Besides, the National Judicial Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, has suspended Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi and Justice Aliyu Musa Liman from office pending the approval of the recommendation of the Council for his compulsory retirement to their respective state Governors.
The meeting also considered the petitions written against the following Judicial Officers – Hon. Justice O.A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Justices Muhammed A. Sambo and Sa’ad Ibrahim Zadawa of the High Court of Justice, Bauchi State and dismissed them for either lacking in merit or being subjuice.
It reported the following lawyers: Messrs Apeiyi Becon Clement, Ifeanyi Egwasi, Nwafor Orizu, Godwin Nkemjika Chukwukwere, Akopde Haggai Ukuku, Chief Emefo Etudo, Osamudiamen Obarogie and B.S.Onuegbu to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for various acts unbecoming of a Legal Practitioner ranging from unruly behaviour, walking out of Court in the cause of proceedings to submission of false documents to Court.
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The Council at the meeting also considered the Report of its interview committee and recommended Seventy (70) Judicial Officers for appointment as President, Court of Appeal, Grand Kadis, President, Customary Court of Appeal and Judges of High Court of States and the Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile, NJC has constituted a 10-man Committee to develop a template for Court sitting in view of the ongoing lockdown due to COVID -19 pandemic.
The committee headed by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court is to within 14 days work out “practical strategic measures” that would allow Courts to function despite the lockdown and C0VID-19 challenges.
Specifically, the committee is to provide the guideline and template that would make the Courts resume fully, to explore possible areas of collaboration between the Judiciary and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, stakeholders in the Justice Administration and Development Partners in Justice Administration Sector.
Other members of the committee are Hon. Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem, Hon. Justice J. T. Tsoho, Hon. Justice B. B. Kanyip, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello, Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah, Hon. Justice O. A. Ojo, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), Mr. A. B. Mahmoud (SAN), and Mr. D. D. Dodo (SAN).
