Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Sunday, criticised the Nigerian Bar Association for shielding corrupt judges despite having information about their activities.
He described the failure of NBA to deal with corrupt officials in the judiciary as an embarrassment to the “incorruptible members of the bar,” adding that it was responsible for the current state of the country’s judiciary.
He said this while reacting to the raid on the homes of some judges and the arrest of four of them by the Department of State Services between Friday and Saturday.
The operatives of the DSS had raided the official quarters of judges at Abuja, Gombe, Kano and Port Harcourt and ended up arresting at least four judicial officers.
The arrested judicial officers comprised two Justices of the Supreme Court – Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro – as well as Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and another judge of the Gombe State High Court, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga.
In a statement issued at the end of the raid, the DSS alleged that the suspects had engaged in judicial misconduct and corrupt practices, adding that a huge amount of money was recovered from three of the judges.
In response to the raid, the NBA had declared a state of emergency and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the judges.
Falana, however, criticised the NBA, saying, “In particular, the Nigerian Bar Association which has information on all corrupt judges and lawyers in the country has continued to shield them to the embarrassment of incorruptible members of the bar and the bench.
“The few lawyers who have plucked up the courage to expose corrupt judges and lawyers have been stigmatised and treated like lepers by their colleagues.
“It is on record that when both the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sent invitation letters to judges suspected of corruption they had rushed to the Federal High Court to obtain interlocutory injunctions to prevent their arrest, investigation, and prosecution.”
He said members of the legal profession had themselves to blame for the harassment of judges by security forces as they had failed to take advantage of the relevant statutory disciplinary bodies to purge the bar and the bench of corrupt elements.
“It is on account of negligence on the part of the legal profession that the SSS which screens candidates before they are recommended by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges has now engaged in the arrest of judges for alleged corruption and abuse of office,” he said.
Falana, however, said because the detained judges “are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State, they should be admitted to bail in self-recognizance.”
He urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to ensure that the judges were immediately arraigned without delay.
He lamented the state of the legal profession, saying, “It is a matter of grave concern that the legal profession has allowed the denigration of the hallowed temple of justice because of the misconduct of a few corrupt judges.
“For several years, judges who committed grave criminal offences were not prosecuted but merely retired by the authorities on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
“Although the National Judicial Council recently recommended the dismissal and prosecution of a judge for extorting the sum of N197m from a litigant the authorities had paid lip service to the menace of judicial corruption in the country.”
sahara reporters cullage.
So is falana no corrupt too, na una sabi.
ReplyDeleteHe's a Lawyer , hw can he be corrupt, unless he bribes!!! He collect $money from you to fight for you.
DeleteThey should arrest all corrupt judges. I support oo
ReplyDeleteSo, you support now.. Lol
DeleteI have always respect this man. This is the plain truth from one of the members of NBA.
ReplyDeleteNa dem sabi....
ReplyDeleteIt is very shameful and saddening that Falana has thrown decorum to the dogs and is doing everything to get a political appointment from the Buhari govt
ReplyDeleteJames
DeleteForget this your talk about appointment as far as he is speaking the truth. If our judges are corrupt and cannot judge fairly,the country is doomed. Think like an intellectual.
DeleteJames your level of reasoning sometimes baffles me.
DeleteNo Dearie, he is not looking for any appointment. They once offered one and he declined. Thank me later. Love you!
DeleteYou well so!!! So person no fit talk truth again, infact na pple wey dey talk truth like dis we need for appointment!
DeleteSpeak it sir
ReplyDeleteThe NBA, NJC is a failure to the judicial system in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteA disgrace to Nigerians and Nigeria.
I cannot repose confidence on them anymore.
Barr Falana... the talk talk.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.mm. abeg leave all these drama jare. Na dem sabi ooooo
ReplyDeleteFalana is a coward, i make bold to say! How can he applaude impunity and denigration of the simple principles of democracy, to wit: due process and the rule of law. Paint this so called corruption fight however colour you want to, it won't take away the fact that the presidency has lost it. Things have totally fallen apart.
ReplyDeleteYour law jargons cannot take away the fact that your opinions are biased. Is the judicial system corrupt? Yes.
DeleteDoctor in the house!!!
DeleteDis one need treatment Asap!
He is honorable not a coward, you expect him to be loyal to thieves or Nigeria!,... He choose Nigeria!
And if you choose those corrupt scumbags, you are coward who deserves exile.
a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
Who is this one again...
.
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***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
This subject is meant for adult and not for kids.
DeleteGo and do ur homework!
DeletePrince charming oshey, some people think its compulsory to comment on all post
DeletePrincess*
DeleteSdk henchman, you are so dumb and an illiterate. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteAbeg Stella park well with that your thumps up, how can we condemn the judges without giving them an opportunity to defend themselves, if they are prosecuted and found wanting, they will definitely face the consequences of their actions but until then everthing is hear say
ReplyDeleteYour head no wan correct.
DeleteAt aaallllllllll.
DeleteFalana on point! Some judges and lawyers be supporting shameful acts & claiming law jargons
ReplyDeleteFalana on point! Some judges and lawyers be supporting shameful acts & claiming law jargons! What the judges did was wrong, they were caught in the act mehn!
ReplyDeleteIf I start to talk about the NBA, I may start to come across as bias, but they should pls shut up .They are the reason the Nigerian Judicial system is messed up. They should pls take several seats abeg.May be Buhari is going 'after' specific people, may be he is targeting people, may be its all politics to put specific people in certain place or make Nigerian an Islamic country (like some have said) but the question still remains, are the hands of the targets clean?Why is it possible to target them?Bear in mind, Criminal Law is a very interesting aspect of the law that can be practiced in d most despicable way possible without consequence on suspicion (not necessarily reasonable)Practically, it wont matter who you are, that comes in later.If you read all the statutes together, believe me there is always a loophole that allows anyone fkd up (pardon my french).Its why I have always believed that its not true that these so called corrupt officials cannot be brought to book. Its because nobody wants to. How can any Judge have that kind of money in their house? How can any Judge put themselves in a poition where they can even be suspected of having that kind of money in their house? Isn't it part of a Judge's responsibilities to ensure that no such amount is in his house even if it belongs to their spouse? Didn't they read their code of conduct before making the decision to join the bench?The ranting NBA members, did they attend law school ?
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!
DeleteThe ranting NBA went to law school, just that they are the givers of the bribe.Majority of the SAN's are the givers of the money. Dont let us mention names.
DeleteDon't mind those ranting NBA members. Who do u think give these judges bribe? Angel Michael? Of course,its them so they will rant because they know that after the taker of the bribe is exposed,then the giver of the bribe is next. Shame on them all!
DeleteAnd no one seems to reckon he mentioned they have an injunction and yet they were arrested, wow.
ReplyDeleteSANSHiP need to be removed. They are the worst things that have happened to the judiciary.
ReplyDeleteThank you Falana. Finally a lawyer that has sense has spoken.
ReplyDeleteMy flate mate in the university in the UK was a son of a high court judge. I know the kind of things the guy told me. The corruption in the judiciary nor be today e start