Judges standing trial over alleged acts of corruption in various courts have, again, been barred by the National Judicial Council (NJC) from performing their judicial duties.
The decision only affects Justices H. A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court and Agbadu James Fishim of the National Industrial Court who have been charged to court on alleged corrupt practices.
The council had earlier in it’s meeting of June 1, 2017, lifted the ban placed on the affected judges, including Justices Adeniyi Ademola of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta and his brother, Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice John Okoro as well as Nganjiwa and Fishim.
The decision by the NJC had elicited serious controversy in the land, but got the support of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), including senior members of the inner bar like Chief Sabastine Hon (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
The Council had premised its decision on the fact that some of the affected judges were not charged to court long after their arrest by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) over alleged acts of corruption.
In the case of Justice Ademola, he was discharged and acquitted by Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alongside his wife and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, while Justice Ngwuta is facing trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
