The National Judicial Council (NJC) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to dismiss two judges accused of corruption by the antigraft agency, EFCC.
The affected judges are Rita Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court and James Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
Premium Times reported the corruption allegations against both judges with Ofili-Ajumogobia already being prosecuted by the EFCC.
The NJC said it came to that conclusion after reviewing the allegations against both judges.
The NJC also rejected the volun- tary retirement of another judge and asked that a lawyer be punished by the appropriate legal body.
A statement by the NJC signed by the Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye read in part: “The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, at its 87th meeting which was held on 3rdOctober 2018, recommended the removal by dismissal from office, of Hon.
Mr. Justice R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice James T.Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
“Hon. Mr. Justice R. N. OfiliAjumogobia was recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for removal by dismissal from office pursuant to the findings by the Council on the allegations of misconduct contained in a petition to the Council by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr.
Ibrahim Magu, alleging that: • Hon. Mr. Justice R. N. Ofil Ajumogobia is a Director/Chief Ex- ecutive Officer and sole signatory to Nigel and Colive Company contrary to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; • Several personalities, individuals, government officials and business partners lodged funds into various accounts belonging to the Hon.
Judge; and • There was an ex-parte communication between the Hon. Judge and Mr. Godwin Oblah, SAN, during the pendency of his matter before the His Lordship.
The Council, however, could not consider other allegations in the pe- tition because they are already before a court where the judge is standing trial.
Council left those matters for the trial to take its legal course.
“Hon. Justice James T. Agbadu Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria was also recom- mended for removal by dismissal from office sequel to the findings of the Council on the allegations contained in another petition by the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that the Hon.
Judge received various sums of money from litigants and lawyers that had cases before him, and some influential Nigerians, under the false pretence that he was bereaved or that there was delay in the payment of his salary.
This is contrary to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
