8 Nigerian Judges, Court Registrar Face Disciplinary Action after illegal release of Convict, Grant Suspect Bail, Others

The Kano State Judicial Service Commission has taken disciplinary actions against eight judiciary staff members over misconduct.

This was announced in a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Kano State Judiciary, Baba Jibo-Ibrahim, on Sunday.

“The Judicial Service Commission, at its 76th meeting held on November 4, considered petitions against the judiciary staff and ordered two court registrars (to go) on compulsory retirement.

“Those sanctioned are magistrates Nasir Ado, Alkali Yusuf Kawu, Sanusi Usman-Atana, and finance registrar Salisu Adamu-Nayola. Others are Alkali Abdulmuminu Nuhu, Alkali Abubakar Abdullahi, court messenger Shuaibu Bello, and Shamsu Abbas, court registrar,” the JSC said.

The commission said an investigation by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee regarding two petitions filed against Nasir Ado revealed that he conducted proceedings without record. When asked, he allegedly falsified and tampered with the record to show that there was a record of the proceeding.

The commission adopted the recommendation of the JPCC that Mr Ado’s tampering with court records constituted gross misconduct and accordingly recalled him from judicial duties.

“Following a complaint filed against a Sharia Court judge, Yusuf Kawu, by Association of Fighting Criminals, that he used his judicial position to release a convict who was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by another judge without option of fine.

“The commission found the actions of the judge to be unlawful and his defence untenable. Consequently, he is recalled from judicial functions indefinitely,” said the statement.

It said the commission also issued a warning to magistrate Sanusi Atana following two petitions against him, where he was found to have assumed the role of recovery of premises in a criminal trial and granted bail to a suspect before the date slated for ruling without notifying the prosecution.

“The commission cautioned Atana to desist from exceeding his jurisdictional limit and uphold the principles of fair(ness),” noted the statement.

The JSC further directed the compulsory retirement of Salisu Adamu Nayola, finance registrar of Kiru Sharia Court, following a JPCC investigation that confirmed he accepted bribes to process inheritance entitlements.

Mr Nayola was accused of collaborating with Alkali Abdulmuminu Nuhu, who has been recalled from judicial duties for two years and placed under the chief registrar’s supervision.

The JSC also strongly warned Alkali Abubakar Abdullahi of Takai Sharia Court Kano for handling Sabo Garba Housing Estate, Kabuga, and Dorayi Kwanar Makabarta distribution case outside his jurisdiction. The commission advised him to strictly adhere to his territorial limits and avoid handling cases outside his jurisdiction.

The statement added that after an investigation by the JPCC on the petition filed against a court messenger, Shuaibu Bello was found to have engaged in an act of corruption by collecting money above the official amount charged for opening a file.

“The committee also found him to engage in conduct unbecoming, rude and disrespectful to a court user and deceiving the petitioner into signing a letter of withdrawal of the petition.

“The commission endorsed the JPCC’s recommendation, suspending Bello for four months without pay,” said the statement.

The JSC also imposed compulsory retirement on Shamsu Abbas, a court registrar, for releasing a suspect on bail without the case being officially assigned to any court, ordering the suspect to make financial restitution.

The JSC said it “remains dedicated to ensuring that all judiciary personnel perform their duties within the boundaries of the law and with the utmost respect for judicial processes.”

(NAN)