Leye Ige:
I do not know about the spirit behind the TIMING of the picking-up of the Judges, but I understand that it was delayed due to uncertainty about how the President would take it, until the President wondered why it had not already happened. I also know that it was long overdue.
What I also do not know is whether, like a chess player, the next move after this Judges' arrests has been thought out, because corruption has a way of fighting back in strange ways in our country. Who knows whether ALL the Supreme Court judges will show up in court when the two or three SC judges are arraigned? Who knows whether the Supreme Court will REFUSE to hear any further cases until the cases of their colleagues are disposed of......and then that will be never, since they will be argued UP to the Supreme Court? Who knows whether "conflict of interest" will even be invoked by those SC judges who were not arrested, so as not to ever hear the case? Or the NJC will be so piqued that it was bypassed that it will down tools? Can you imagine that the NBA is declaring a "state of emergency" and "downing tools" (?) because of the arrest of judges?
This has been my little problem with the PMB administration so far, that in the fight against deep corruption in Nigeria, the reaction of the corrupt and its enablers are UNPRECEDENTED and UNUSUAL, whether it is in the Legislature, the Judiciary and in the Executive, - or even the Press - and that there are even members of the larger society who have been compromised into believing that CORRUPTION is more conducive to their well-being than the present effort to sanitize our country. Therefore, before the PMB Administration takes one particular step against corruption, it must ANTICIPATE the worst reaction to it, and then counter that reaction - whether it is in the preemptive protection of the oil wells in the Niger-Delta, or deep interest in the choice of Leadership in the Legislature, or accusations against Budget padding in both the Legislature and the Judiciary, in the banks' reaction to the TSA, or the Press' sometimes biased "headline-reporting" of events.
I am happy that the Presidency has made some statement about the arrest of the Judges. I am aware that Buhari is mortally afraid of being accused of being a dictator, but if he feels that he can sit coyly in Aso Rock and let EVERY thing take its course without his firm hands and engagement, NOT a single thing would have changed much in 2019. This is why a person, without being accused, recently CONFESSED to ownership of fat-dollar accounts in Nigeria, even suing the EFCC over it, because certain citizens are not SUFFICIENTLY frightened about the seriousness of the war against corruption, and feel that some INTIMIDATION over un-touchability can provide immunity, making Buhari into a pussycat.
One hopes that this Judge-gate action is a new beginning to the attack against corruption....this is where it should all have started - the Judiciary, the Police and the Banks, the latter probably still hiding MANY dollar-accounts illegally. One also hopes that looted monies already, no matter how little for now, are fully disclosed AND deployed IMMEDIATELY.
As to the new South-West politics, I smile. That Tinubu has suddenly become the darling of those who have historically hated his guts is quite amusing. Despite all accusations to the contrary, BAT is a very measured politician, knows his onions, his limitations and his vulnerabilities. I have also heard different versions of the choice of Veep or no Veep - you hear three different versions from two different persons - but who-did-what at this stage in time is all childish - we now have a President and a Vice-President, voted in by ALL of Nigerians. It matters VERY LITTLE to me, but I know of the machinations of those who want to knock heads - as part of their (Bring Back Corruption) BBC strategy.
I also wonder how my senior American colleague Prof. John Paden - with who I clashed several times during the pro-democracy period - suddenly became given so much access that he could write a biography on President Buhari. The tendency of all our leaders - including President Obasanjo - to give unimpeded access to foreign (particularly Western) fellows without finding out their antecedents, always beats me. 80-year-old (?) Prof. Paden, in his book (which I have not read, but I have seen excerpts; I ran into him at the lobby of Transcorp Hilton a few days ago; almost seized a copy from him when he showed it to me) has lobbed some grenades into our political minefield, and while he quietly returns to his George Mason University, we will be here in Nigeria lunging at each other.
I find that unreasonable.
Finally, I agree completely with INEC head Prof. Mahmud Yakub that "inconclusive elections" are actually good for Nigeria, that they are an indication of a more responsible INEC obeying its own internal rules, so that once politicians and the Nigerian society know that "inconclusive elections" WILL be repeated until they become CONCLUSIVE - with each "inconclusive" "inconclusive election" becoming more conclusive as they are repeated - then you will see that inconclusive elections will reduce in time.
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 5:30 AM, 'Leye Ige' via AfricanWorldForum <africanworldforum@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Afis/Prof,
From the timing of this "strike" against the judges, do you suppose it is part of a political pincer movement by Buhari, to wit: use it to garner support from especially the SW whom he knows would go for any attempt at curbing corruption while simultaneously trying to neutralize the SW political leadership, itself through corrupt means a la 5 > 6 as well as deliberately lying about how the VP came to be chosen? Abi, which of the elections in Nigeria since his coming to power experienced a 5>6 scenario and its accompaniments, except Kogi and Ondo States? The "worst" that had happened were "inconclusive" elections. So, why don't we simply wait and let the whole shebang play itself out???
Leye Ige
--------------------------------------------
On Sun, 10/9/16, 'Afis Deinde' via AfricanWorldForum <africanworldforum@googlegroups.com > wrote:
Subject: Re: [africanworldforum] Re: [Naijaintellects] On the Matter of the Stunning Arrest of Many Very Senior Judges in Nigeria {Re: Arrest of Roguish Judges is constitutional
To: africanworldforum@googlegroups.com
Cc: "naijaintellects" <naijaintellects@googlegroups.com >, "USAAfrica Dialogue" <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com >, "Nigeria world forum" <NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com >, "naijapolitics@yahoogroups com" <naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com>, "nidoa nidoa" <nigerianID@yahoogroups.com>, "Raayiriga@yahoogroups.com" <raayiriga@yahoogroups.com>, "yahoogroups" <TalkNigeria@yahoogroups.com>, "ekiti ekitigroups" <ekitipanupo@yahoogroups.com>, "NiDAN" <nidan-group@googlegroups.com>
Date: Sunday, October 9, 2016, 11:52 PM
Excellent
points!By
levels.Nigeria has witnessed andthe way, Clinton won tonight.
"Bigly" excellent!!
Afis"Just as a
solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are
not affected by praise or blame." — Dhamapada, verse
81.
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 9,
2016, at 11:41 PM, Mobolaji Aluko <alukome@gmail.com>
wrote:
Akusobi:
Absolutely....!
The PMB administration is finding
BELATEDLY that the anti-corruption fight can NEVER BE WON if
the CORRUPT Judges and Lawyers that DOMINATE the Nigerian
landscape are still in place....AND if the Banks can still
hide and move their monies around for them. That is why,
as far back as 2004, I have listed as one of 17 ways of
fighting corruption in our country, we should:
QUOTE
http://www.nigerialinks.com/Articles/mobolaji_aluko/2004/ 12/17-ways-of-stopping- financial.html
For
unelected public officials, we should:
1.
speedily prosecute all persons not protected by Section 308
who aids and abets those immunized officials in financial
and other types of corruption;
2.
focus on ridding the Police Force and Judicial Bench of
corruption; these two arms are the most public faces of
exercising justice in the land. We should observe
zero-tolerance for bribery by the NPF on our highways,
including use of sting operations;
3.
observe zero-tolerance for bribery by judges, mandatorily
disbarring any found to have taken bribes.
For
private sector officials, we should:
1.
focus on ridding the banks and other financial houses of
corrupt practices;
2.
observe zero-tolerance for money-laundering: sanctions could
for example DOUBLE the amounts laundered, including closing
banks down for egregious violations;
3.
observe zero-tolerance for foreign-exchange round-tripping;
fines should double the amount round-tripped.
For
elected public officials, we should:
1.
focus on the executives at the National, State and Local
Government levels;
2.
enable public access to their declared assets, sanctioning
any officials that don't declare their assets and/or
truthfully;
3.
require independent, professional and regular audits of all
LG, state and federal accounts, and make available to the
public;
4.
abrogate or seriously amend Section 308 immunity clause that
benefit the President, the Vice-President, the 36 governors
and 36 deputy-governors. If amended, Section 308 should
allow the
(i)
the Police, the ICPC and the EFCC to pursue CRIMINAL charges
the executive officials;
(ii)
the Senate to investigate civil charges against the
President, after a grand jury of three Appeals Court judges
has determined that there is a prima facie case against them
that is urgent; and
(iii)
State Houses of Assembly to investigate civil charges
against the governors and their deputies; after a grand jury
of three High Court judges has determined that there is a
prima facie case against them that is urgent;
UNQUOTE
What,
for example, is happening with the Rickey Tarfa case? How
can a judge be found guilty of judicial misdeed (induced
from bribery) - and then just transferred to Maiduguri by
the NJC
QUOTE
http://ynaija.com/justice-rita-ofili-ajumogobia-watch- list/
Judge punished heavily,
placed on watch list over judicial misconduct
Mazi Emeka March 2,
2016
The
National Judicial Council (NJC), on Wednesday, announced
that a Federal High Court Judge, Justice Rita
Ofili-Ajumogobia, serving in the Lagos Division of the
court, has been been banned from any form of promotion till
the end of her career.
This was contained in a
statement signed by the NJC Acting Director, Soji
Oye.
Oye
stated that Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia has been placed under a
four year watch-list and also warned against committing any
misconduct.
He
said the disciplinary action was taken after the NJC, headed
by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed,
considered several petitions filed against her.
The decision was sequel to
the petition written against her by one Victoria Ayeni
alleging misconduct and injustice on the part of Hon.
Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia for failing to deliver judgment in
Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/31/2011, a pre-election matter between
Victoria A. A. Ayeni and Olusola Sonuga.
The statement reads in
part:
"She was also alleged to
have adjourned the pre-Election matter severally until the
termination of the life span of the Ogun State House of
Assembly."
"The National Judicial
Council, Under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Mahmud
Mohammed, GCON, at its Meeting which was held on the 24th
and 25th February, 2016 decided to warn Hon. Justice Ruth
Ofili-Ajumogobia and also put her on the 'watch-list' of
the Council for the next four years."
"The honourable judge
will also not be considered for any elevation to the Court
of Appeal or any ad-hoc judicial appointment till her
retirement from the bench."
Justice Ruth
Ofili-Ajumogobia was, in 2013, accused of physically abusing
a male staff and using him for domestic errands.
UNQUOTE
The NJC, until recently,
has not shown itself to be strong enough to discipline
judges...and CRIMINAL PROSECUTION - and not administrative
oversight - should be the name of the game. If a Judge
slaps a staff, yes that could be administrative oversight.
But if it has to do with the VERY FUNCTION of judgeship,
then criminal prosecution should be done.
And there you have
it.
Bolaji Aluko
On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at
4:20 AM, Daniel Akusobi <dakusobi@gmail.com>
wrote:
Aluko,Supported!The
fight against corruption should have started from the judges
at all levels.D
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 9, 2016, at 11:14 PM, Mobolaji Aluko
<alukome@gmail.com>
wrote:
My People:
This broom sweep of Judges in
Nigeria is long overdue....
I support this sting, support
Falana's statement that they should be charged QUICKLY,
and deplore NBA's position on it in agreement with Paul
Adujie.
Bolaji
Aluko
OPERATION BROOM Against Five
Current and Former Judges of Dade County in Miami, Florida
of June 1991
QUOTE
"An uneasy calm followed the
initial shock in Miami's legal community in the wake of
the June 8 raids on the homes and offices of five
present and former Dade County, Fla. judges. The raids,
which came as "a complete surprise" netted
thousands of dollars in marked $100 dollar bills allegedly
paid in bribes, according to authorities......
In an odd twist, documents disclosed
in connection with the Miami investigation identified
Raymond J. Takiff .....as a key figure.in the undercover
operation. Takiff...began cooperating with prosecutors
after signing a plea agreement for unspecified crimes in
November 1989, the document revealed..."
UNQUOTE
<image.png>
<image.png>I
Falana Asks Attorney-General To
Immediately Charge Arrested Judges To
Court Published Oct 09, 2016
Greenbarge Reporters
Human
rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), has advised the Attorney-General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to ensure that the
judges who have been arrested by the security agents for
alleged corruption are immediately arraigned in court
without delay. He added that because the detained judges
"are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the
State, they should be admitted to bail in self
recognizance."
The
Senior Advocate, who reacted to the furor over the arrest of
the judges by the Department of State Security (DSS) both in
Abuja and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, accused
the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of 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 is responsible for the
current state of the country's judiciary.
"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 that members of the legal
profession should have 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."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."
It would be recalled that 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.
Source: PUNCH.
-------
NBA Goofed On Arrest of
Judges
Written by Paul I. Adujie Esq.
I watched with utter dismay, as
the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
surrounded by other prominent lawyers badmouthed the actions
of the DSS which culminated in the arrest of some judges on
Saturday, October 8, 2016
As the world has become aware,
some judges in Nigeria were arrested on the allegation of
fraud, and the arrests were conducted in a nationwide raid
or sting, orchestrated by the DSS, armed with adequate
prosecutable information with equally adequate and
sufficient Probable Cause!
A majority of Nigerians are elated
and ecstatic to learn of these arrests, particularly so,
given the sacred position, the exalted and hallowed position
judges hold in upholding Justice, Due Process and The Rule
of Law
Nigeria has for far too long
witnessed the profound absence of justice, and the equally
profound absence of the Due Process and the Rule of Law,
which has led to impunity and lawlessness at all
justice!The DSS have Probable Cause(s) tocontinues to witness regression in all facets of life, as no
one plays by the rules or follows laid down processes and
pay complete obeisance to the rule of law.
I have often said privately and
publicly, that efforts to fight corruption by current
federal government or any future government must begin with
the judiciary and the police and or other law enforcement
agencies.
When judges and policing agencies
cannot be bribed, a majority of those Nigerians who have
made impunity and lawlessness their vocation and profession;
would soon fall in line.
It is the case that in Nigeria,
there are great and good laws and rules regarding human
conditions. However, most laws are not enforced, implemented
or obeyed. Laws and rules in Nigeria are observed in their
breaches!
The
simplest of processes in Nigeria have become warped, twisted
and perverted, and as a consequence, simple processes are
made to become unnecessarily complex and complicated. Simple
actions are made to take too long and extremely expensive,
stressful and or frustratingly cumbersome!
The judges arrested on Saturday
October 8, 2016 are said to have made useful statements to
law enforcement agencies and the policing authorities.
Documents were said to have been recovered from the
allegedly erring judges who were arrested.
It is the case that large sums of
monies were said to have been recovered from each of the
arrested judges - hundreds of millions of Naira, US Dollars,
British pounds and Euros were recovered from the arrested
judges. Let the arrested judges defend themselves. Let them
reconcile their salaries with their sudden wealth or stash
of cash or loads of loots and avarice! And yes, I do believe
in and subscribe the Presumption of Innocence!
Law enforcement agencies will soon
reveal the contents of statements made by these culprit
judges. Most probably, these said judges have filed
statements of their assets prior to their arrest, and
secondly, the said judges would explain why they have these
extraordinarily large amounts in their homes as opposed to
lodgements with their various banks.
It does appear that these arrested
judges, were scared to deposit the monies which they
received from their sale of matches, toothpicks and sachets
of water, as the Bank Verification Number rule or regime,
has made it a little more difficult to bank almost
anonymously and through proxies as a certain lady was
recently accused of banking by proxies, while retaining all
the benefits and ATM cards, even though the accounts in
question bore the names and images of other persons!
It is quite astonishing,
astounding and even outlandish, that the NBA executive would
defend the obviously indefensible judges! The NBA President
was heard and seen condemning the arrests of these judges,
and referring to the process as Gestapo style, despite the
fact that the DSS operations was preceded by petitions of
allegations of these judges accepting bribes and perverting
Multiple RaidsOctober 8, 2016conduct the arrests, and the DSS may have reasons to believe
that the targeted judges would flee or hide or destroy the
evidences of their alleged crimes.
The NBA President seems to
misunderstand or he has wilfully misinterpreted Due Process
and Rule of Law with his suggestion that the arrest of the
judges should not have taken place because (a) DSS is not
the Nigeria Police and (b) DSS or even the police may not
arrest the judges at all, particularly at the particular
hours of the morning!
It
is my opinion that the DSS acted within the scope of their
statutory assignment and that the DSS acted properly in
conducting the arrest at the particular hours, to prevent
flight, or escape by the arrested judges and as well as the
DSS desire to ensure that proceeds of crimes are not
destroyed or taken out of jurisdiction, including other
tactical and strategic reasons which may have informed and
prompted the DSS to act in the manner and the time their
operatives acted.
I
strongly believe that the DSS have adequate and sufficient
information, and now, evidence to prosecute, hence these
audacious arrests and bribe loot recoveries as have been
announced by the DSS. The DSS certainly know more than what
the public currently knows, they may have had exigent
circumstances as to likelihood of flight or disappearance of
the judges arrested, and the targeted corruption
proceeds!
It
is really disappointing to regularly and too often see
Nigerian lawyers, and worse the NBA executives become tools
with which the corrupt political class shield themselves….
Judges and members of the political class openly,
conspicuously, ostentatiously and brazenly corrupt and break
any and every law with impunity, while setting slush funds
aside to hire 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria to defend the
indefensible!
The
Nigerian nation and her citizens are not living to their
full potentials as a result of corruption of every process.
Elections are predictably rigged, judges are predictably for
the highest bidders, budgets are routinely passed but monies
so appropriated are predictably stolen or plundered, and
then law enforcement agencies engage in some sort of
"Catch-and Release" and the cycle perpetrates and
perpetuates!
Budgets for roads, bridges and
public infrastructures never get spent on roads and bridges
or other public infrastructures hence they are decayed and
decrepit nationwide. There are front-loading and unwarranted
upward appraisals of contract prices. Monies budgeted for
equipment and medicines never get to the target hospitals.
Hence, Nigerian hospitals are bereft of modern state of the
art medical diagnostic and treatment tools and or medicines.
Medical doctors are frequently on strike nationally, and
this is why your cousin will not find a doctor or medicine
in his neighbourhood hospital tomorrow.
The generator in your home is
running right now, as there is no municipal electricity,
because the budget for electricity generation and
transmission has evaporated through corruption, and
nationally, Nigerians can count more generators than
citizens!
Stupidity should have consequences
and law breaking should receive sanction(s) but, currently
in Nigeria, there is a dearth or even the complete absence
of integrity. A corrupt judge is worse than an armed robber
because a corrupt judge perverts justice, law and processes.
Such judges, where there are allegations and probable cause,
should be arrested and punished. Corrupt judge are odious
and inimical to the very essence of justice, corrupt judges
should be exposed and subject to public opprobrium.
When and if a law enforcement
agency discovers that a crime has been committed, is being
committed or likely to be committed, it's incumbent on
upon such a law enforcer to arrest the offender without
dithering. Prompt and legal arrest is an imperative! We do
not ask armed robbers in Nigeria for permission to arrest
them. So, why should we ask judges for permission to arrest
them, when and if there is a probable cause, predicate and
foundation for their arrest?
Corrupt judges thwart the very
fundamental social order, the rule of law and due process to
which they are supposed to pay complete obeisance. As we all
must realize, the absence of law and order permits
lawlessness!
https://adujie.wordpress.com/2
016/10/08/nba-goofed-on-arrest -of-judges/
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________ ___________________
On Sun, Oct 9, 2016 at 2:44
PM, okoi_advocate via AfricanWorldForum <africanworldforum@
googlegroups.com> wrote:
The
argument by some that the sting operations carried by the
DSS on homes of senior Judges of the High Court and the
Supreme Court last Friday which led to recovery of vast sums
of money in various current denominations is an infraction
on the independence and sanctity of the judicial branch of
government is hogwash. There
is no
infringement on the independence and sanctity of the
judiciary in any manner whatsoever . Judges do not have
immunity to do what they like . When a judge collects bribe
to pervert the course of Justice is that not in itself an
infraction of the independence of the judiciary and a threat
to the sanctity of the judiciary ? When a judge commits a
crime is both a professional misconduct and a crime . In
such a circumstances it is not more the business of the
National Judicial Council (NJC) to deal with it but also a
matter for security agencies to handle .The DSS does not
need more explanation more than what it had done . NJC has
regrettably been protecting and covering senior judges! We I
want to say that evidence abound of the protection and
covering of senior Judges by the NJC and perhaps this might
one of the reasons why government resorted to such measures
, which in any case is within the bounds of the law .
Justice Tsamiya collected two hundred million as bribe but
NJC inexplicably only recommended his retirement . But
another Judge in Kano who collected a bribe of N190 million
was ordered to be arrested by the Police by NJC. We heard
mind bogging stories in his judges collect humongous sums of
money especially in political and election related cases to
pervert the cause of Justice . It is perverse logic and
reasoning for any body to contend that independence of the
judicial branch of government means that the executive
branch of government should close it eyes to the infractions
of the law and Constitution by Judges . Even in the United
States of America, the supposed bastion and sanctuary of
constitutional and liberal democracy the FBI ( equivalent of
DSS) sometimes carry sting operations to arrest roguish
judges! On 5th October 2015 the CBS/Ap reported the arrest
of a federal Judge, Judge T. Camp by the FBI in a sting
operation for gun running and illegal drugs involvement
with an stipper. In Philadelphia nine Judges were arrested
on charges of corruption on the 13th January 2013! The
judges face charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail
fraud, wire fraud,mail fraud,perjury,making false statements
to the FBI, and aiding and abetting. In Puerto Rico, on the
30th May 2014, FBI agents arrested a Puerto Rico Superior
Court Judge , Manuel Acevedo Hernandez suspected of
accepting bribes in exchange for acquitting a man charged in
a fatal drunk-driving case. On the 4th November 2015, a
North Carolina Superior Court Judge, Judge Arnold Jones 11
was arrested in a sting operation by FBI and charged with
trying to bribe an FBI officer to collect text messages
between two phone numbers. However, in Nigeria a country
blighted by many years of impunity no judge has ever been
arrested! Even judges that have been accused of corruption
and collection of bribes are usually treated with kid gloves
and merely retired or dismissed! This is the first time
Judges would be arrested by Law Enforcement agency in the
history of the country; so the impression among members of
the public is that Judges are above the Law. But nothing can
be farther from the truth! Judged are ordinary citizens and
surely not above the law! Change has surely come to Nigeria!
Okoi Obono-Obla
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 sma
rtphone.
--
Update: DSS Says Recovered
Millions In Naira, Forex From Alleged Corrupt Judges In
BEVERLY HILLS, October
08, (THEWILL) – The Department of State Services, DSS, has
given reasons behind its raid on the homes of some judges in
the country, disclosing that the special sting operations it
carried out were based on allegations of corruptions and
other acts of professional misconduct by a few of the
suspected Judges.
It
disclosed that in one of the States where the Service
carried out its operations, credible intelligence revealed
that the Judge had Two Million United States Dollars
($2,000,000 USD) stashed in his house, adding that the said
Judge in concert with the State Governor, mobilized thugs
against the Service when he was approached for due search to
be conducted.
The DSS
made this known in a statement issued on its behalf on
Saturday by Abdullahi Garba, where it was said that the
Service had in line with its core mandate, been monitoring
the expensive and luxurious lifestyle of some of the Judges
as well as complaints from the concerned members of the
public over judgment obtained fraudulently and on the basis
amounts of money paid.
According to the statement, "The
judges involved were invited, upon which due diligence was
exhibited and their premises searched. The searches have
uncovered huge raw cash of various denominations, local and
foreign currencies, with real estate worth several millions
of Naira and documents affirming unholy acts by these
Judges. Meanwhile, some of them have made useful statements
while a few have declined even with the glaring evidences
that were found against them in terms of material cash,
documents and property recovered pointing to their
compromise.
"In one
of the States where the Service operations were conducted,
credible intelligence revealed that the Judge had Two
Million United States Dollars ($2,000,000 USD) stashed in
his house. When he was approached for due search to be
conducted, he in concert with the State Governor, mobilized
thugs against the Service team. The team restrained itself
in the face of unbridled provocative activities by those
brought in by the Governor. Unfortunately, the Judge and
Governor also engaged the tacit support of a sister security
agency.
"The Service
surveillance team noticed that upon frustrating the
operation, the Judge with the active support of the Governor
craftily moved the money to an unknown location which the
Service is currently making effort to unravel.
"Meanwhile, large amount including
foreign/local currencies have been recovered. Summaries of
these include:
SUMMARY
OF RECOVERED MONEY
1.
NAIRA –
N93,558,000.00
2.
DOLLARS – $530,087
3. POUNDS –
£25,970
4.
EURO – €5,680
"Other foreign currencies were
also recovered. This were recovered from just three (3) of
the judges.
"These
in addition to other banking documents, including real
estate documents have been recovered. Meanwhile preparations
are ongoing to arraign them in a competent court of
jurisdiction in line with the laws of the
nation."
The Service
however clarified that it has never invited Justice Walter
Nkanu Onnoghen of the Supreme Court for investigation,
asserting that the Justice is not being investigated by the
secret police.
DSS
said it "would like to put it on record, that it has
tremendous respect for the Judiciary and would not do
anything to undermine it or its activities. The Service will
also join hands with this noble institution in its fight to
rid it of few corrupt Judges whose actions is undermining
not only the Judiciary but the common bond of our national
life."
Garba however
stated that the current operation will be sustained and
followed till sanity and sanctity is restored to the
esteemed third arm of government and public confidence is
regained.
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