The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Sunday gave a
fresh dose of leeway to Nigerians to report corrupt and other unprofessional
conduct of judges to
the National
Judicial Council.
Justice Onnogehen said Nigerians should take advantage of the existence
of the relevant institutions by reporting corrupt judges to them instead of
smearing the image of the judiciary through making unsubstantiated allegations
in the mass media.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Awassam Bassey,
said the CJN made this call in reaction to a newspaper publication in which a
former Senator, Uche Ekwunife, “accused the judiciary of robbing her of her
mandate in the 2015 Anambra Central Senatorial Election through nullification”.
The statement read, “Justice Onnoghen says Nigerians should learn to take
advantage of institutions that have been established to handle allegations of
corruption and unprofessional conduct by judicial officers, including cases of
judicial fraud which the Senator cited as the reason for the loss of her
mandate in the law courts.
“The Honourable Chief Justice advises against individuals dragging the
name of the Judiciary in the mud through unsubstantiated allegations in the
mass media and advises such individuals to employ well-established institutions
and avenues to petition any judicial officer who engages in corruption and
unprofessional conduct.
“”Therefore, in the interest of the generality of Nigerians, and the
ongoing war against corruption, the Chief Justice of Nigeria calls on Senator
Ekwunife to petition the judges she accuses of corruption and unprofessional
conduct.
“The Honourable CJN assures Nigerians that if anyone has evidence against
any corrupt judicial officer, and such a person brings forward the necessary
documents before the National Judicial Council, the concerned judicial officer
or officers will be investigated and where found liable, dealt with in accordance
with the law.”
According to Bassey, the CJN also warned politicians to desist from
smearing the good image of the judiciary in the media, while also assuring
law-abiding and hardworking judges that they had nothing to fear Punch reported.
Bassey stated, “At the same time, the Chief Justice of Nigeria wishes to
use this medium to warn politicians to desist from using the mass media to
smear the good image of the nation’s Judiciary in general, and the hardworking
and honest judicial officers in particular.
“His Lordship the Chief Justice calls on all law-abiding and hardworking
judicial officers to go about discharging their duties without fear or favour.”
In a related development on Sunday, the CJN said the nation’s judiciary
was under threat.
He spoke at a thanksgiving service held at the Methodist Church Nigeria,
Abuja Diocese, Zone 3, Abuja.
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