NJC ORDERS DISMISSAL OF TWO HIGH COURT JUDGES

The National Judicial Council (NJC) under the chairmanship of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter S. N. Onnoghen, has recommended the dismissal of Justice Ugbo Ononogbo of the Abia State High Court of Justice and the compulsory retirement from office of Justice Nasir Gummi of the Zamfara State High Court of Justice with immediate effect.

The Acting Director, Information in the NJC, Soji Oye, who disclosed this yesterday in a statement, said the decision was reached at the end of its 80th meeting held on December 14 and 15, 2016 in Abuja.

The Chief Registrar of the Probate Division of the Abia State High Court, Udeka N.C. and the Chief Registrar of the Zamfara State High Court, Hayatu Wadata Bungudu, were recommended to the states’ judicial service committees for investigation and action.

A legal practitioner, E.M. Ojiako, will be recommended to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for disciplinary action.

Justice Onongbo was recommended to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for dismissal and criminal investigation for compromising the judgment in Suit No: HOH/25/2013; Mrs Nnenna Enweliku and 4 others Vs Udensi Dike Udensi and 2 others. 

Justice Gummi was recommended to Governor Abdulaziz Yari for retirement for failing to deliver judgement in Suit No: ZMS/GS/13/2013; Chiroma Vs Forte Oil Plc, almost 23 months after the final address by all counsel in the suit, contrary to the constitutional provision that judgements should be delivered within 90 days. 

Findings of the council in the petition by Mr Urum Udensi Ifegwu revealed that Justice Ononogbo made a blanket order for the payment of an amount as estate fee from the Access Bank Account of the late Lord Chief Dike Udensi Ifegwu to the Probate Registrar of the High Court.

The Assistant Chief Registrar, Probate Division of the Court, Mr. Udeka U. C. was said to have altered the order of the judge in a letter to Access Bank requesting the bank to release N200m into the personal account of E. M.Ojiako, Esq, counsel to Mrs Enwelike in the suit, a request which the bank refused to honour.

According to the NJC’s findings, Justice Ononogbo, without ascertaining the assessment by the probate registrar, granted a second order to vacate the first one directing the bank to pay any money assessed by the probate registrar for the Estate fee of late Lord Chief Dike Udensi Ifegwu into the personal account of E. M. Ojiako, Esq.

As a result of the second order, E.M. Ojiako only paid N83 million to the Probate Registry.

Source:Daily Trust