USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR "REVELATION": Judgment leakages - CJN vows to deal with corrupt judicial workers

My People:

The CJN's latest pledge to deal with corrupt "Protocol Officers, Court Registrars, Process Clerks, and Bailiffs" and other judicial workers who assist in the subversion of justice in Nigeria is interesting - one wonders why it has taken this long to publicly acknowledge a problem that has long been known in bar and bench circles.  

I have stated here previously in these cyber-forums that I am very reliably informed that in particular Court Registrars are known to be some of the most powerful and richest civil servants in Nigeria, as they are reputed to take monies from defence lawyers to set dates and assign/switch Judges favorable to their cases and clients....it is whispered common knowledge.

This is where asset declaration and the effectiveness of the Code of Conduct Bureau can be brought to bear in a dragnet of politically- or judicially-exposed civil servants to root out this injustice.  Serious example can be made of discovered cases....it is not just enough to lament.

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

VANGUARD

Judgment leakages: CJN vows to deal with corrupt judicial workers

On May 10, 20161:26 amIn News by johnabayomi2Comments

ABUJA — The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, yesterday, described as worrisome, mounting allegations that judicial workers often leak "confidential information" to lawyers and court users.

The CJN, while flagging-off the 2016 refresher course for Secretaries, Protocol Officers, Court Registrars, Process Clerks and Bailiffs in Abuja yesterday, said it was equally worrisome that some judicial workers not only destroy or conceal evidence in cases pending in courts, "some have even presented themselves as persons capable of influencing the decisions of the court".

He said: "A concurrent and overlapping criticism that is also often voiced by members of the public is that judicial staff solicit for funds from lawyers or court users to carry out their duties.

"Corrupt practices such as these should not exist in the judiciary and will not be tolerated where such practices exist. You must shun corruption in all its ramifications as it erodes public confidence in the Judiciary's ability to impartially dispense justice and bring disrepute to the institution that we hold dear."

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