NJSC Sacks Magistrate for Misconduct

* Demotes two Sharia Court judges

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) has sacked a Magistrate for allegedly being involved in professional misconduct and abuse of office.

The NJSC also on Wednesday downgraded by one grade level two Sharia Court Judges.

The Secretary of the commission, Alhaji  Abdulrahman Ahmed Garafini, while briefing newsmen in Minna, the state capital, on Wednesday, disclosed that the downgraded Sharia Court judges will be made to undergo one year tutelage under senior judges.

The NJSC secretary explained that the decisions were taken at the 136th meeting of the Commission held on March 21, 2023 after the consideration of recommendations by a committee set up to investigate petitions against the judges. 

Garafini explained that out of seven petitions, three were against the dismissed judge, adding that two were sufficiently proved by the petitioners. 

“According to the findings of the committee, the allegations in the petition i.e. interference, obstruction of justice and abuse of judicial power against His Worship were sufficiently proved by the petitioner,” adding that the respondent also owned up to the allegations.

Garafini said the report and recommendations of the Justice Mohammed Mohammed-led committee also indicted the judge for practically jettisoning his call as a judicial officer by representing and shielding a suspect from arrest by the police and the court.

Garafini said the judge was also indicted in a second petition for using his power to intimidate and collect the sum of N400,000 from Fulani herders. 

The committee, the NJSC scribe said, discovered that the sacked judge “was a judge in his own case and used instrument of his office to facilitate a gainful benefit for his personal interest and private affairs”.