NJC sacks Enugu CJ, Appeal Court justice, High Court judge

For engaging in acts bordering on corruption, vindictiveness and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on a similar case, the National Judicial Council (NJC), on Friday, wielded the big stick on some senior judicial officers.
The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I.A. Umezulike, Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya and Justice Kabiru M. Auta of Kano High Court were sacked.
The Council told the Enugu State Government and President Muhammadu Buhari to retire Umezulike and Tsamiya immediately.
The Kano State Government was advised to sack Auta and hand him over to the state police command for prosecution.
A statement from NJC spokesperson, Soji Oye, says Justice Tsamiya was recommended for compulsory retirement from Office to Buhari, pursuant to findings by the Council in the petition written by Nnamdi Iro Oji against him and Justices Husseini Muktar, F. O. Akinbami and J. Y. Tukur, all Justices of Court of Appeal who sat on Election Appeal Panel in the Owerri Division of the Court during the 2015 general elections.
The petition contains allegations bordering on corruption, vindictiveness and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on the same issue in similar matters in Appeal CA/OW/EPT/SN/50/201.
The cases involved are that of Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex Vs Hon. Mao Onuabunwa & Anor; CA/OW/EPT/SN/47/2015; Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu & Anor Vs Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa & Ors; and CA/OW/EPT/HR/61/2015: Nnamdi Iro Oji Vs Nkole Uko Ndukwe & 16 Ors.
The NJC said that during deliberations, it found that there was evidence that the petitioner met with Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya thrice, in his residence in Sokoto, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Owerri where on each occasion, he demanded N200 million to influence the Court of Appeal Panel in Owerri.
‎For Justice Umezulike, the council recommended his compulsory retirement to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, sequel to the findings by the Council on the allegations against him by Peter Eze, a lawyer.
The petitioner had alleged that Umezulike failed to deliver judgement in suit No E/13/2008: Ajogwu vs Nigerian Bottling Company Limited in which final addresses were adopted on October 23, 2014.
The judgement was, however, delivered on March 9, 2015, about 126 days after addresses were adopted, contrary to constitutional provisions that judgement should be delivered within 90 days.
“Hon. Justice Umezulike, OFR, in Suit No E/159M/2014, Ezeuko Vs Probate Registrar, High Court of Enugu State and 3 Ors ordered the arrest of Mr. Peter Eze by police and be brought before his Court after the matter was amicably resolved and judgement entered on terms of Settlement.
“That the Hon. Chief Judge, in a speech delivered by him to the Eastern Bar Forum on Friday 4th March, 2016, openly made uncomplimentary remarks containing vulgar language against the Petitioner, contrary to Rule 1.3 of the National Judicial Council Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
“That at the time of the book launch of the Hon. Chief Judge, donation of N10 million was made by Prince Arthur Eze during the pendency of the two cases in His Lordship’s Court, both of which Prince Arthur Eze has vested interest”.
Justice Auta was recommended to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State for dismissal and that he should be handed over to the police for prosecution immediately, following the Council’s findings on the allegations levelled against him by Alhaji Kabiru Yakassai.
The petitioner alleged that he paid N125 million into an account approved by the Judge.
“The petitioner also made cash payment of N72 million to Justice Auta in several instalments through his Personal Assistant, Abdullahi Bello, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting a former Chief Justice of Nigeria who had just been appointed to secure accommodation and for the Petitioner to, in turn, be rewarded by the award of some contracts by the said Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“That Hon. Justice Auta facilitated telephone communications in his house between the Petitioner and purportedly the former Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria on the other end.
“That Hon. Justice Auta facilitated meetings between the Petitioner and a lady who introduced herself as the purported Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria in a Prado Jeep, escorted by armed Police Officer in a hotel in Kaduna”.
According to the Council, the allegations against the three Judicial Officers constitute misconduct contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended and Rules 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 3.2, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 8.4a, 13.1, 15.2 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.