Politics
Sagay’s committee calls for suspension of arrested judges
The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has advocated for the suspension of judges arrested and detained by the Department of State Services, DSS.
The PACAC made the call on Monday, asking the National Judicial Council, NJC, to suspend judges while they are on trial.
The Executive Secretary of the Committee, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, made known the position of the committee at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja, adding that Judges suspected of complicity in financial crimes should not preside over cases in court.
According to him, the honourable thing to do is for the NJC to give the Judges the opportunity to defend themselves.
Read also: Ex-Gov Nyako, son back in court over alleged N40bn fraud
Owasanoye said: “The reason is because all over the world, if a Judge is appearing before another court on criminal charges, all cases before him should be shut.”
Speaking on the arrested judges, the Chairman of the committee, Professor Itse Sagay said: “Any judge who is corrupt is committing a crime against humanity. He destroys our confidence on the State; it encourages people to resort to self-help.”
Sagay also noted that those criticizing the action of the DSS are not looking at the implications of judicial corruption.
“There are some governors who did not win election, yet judges gave vent to that. If the judiciary is corrupt, it is the only body that has the power of life and death over Nigerians”, Sagay said.
By Timothy Enietan-Matthews…
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david craig
October 18, 2016 at 10:42 am
what is wrong with our system in this country? you don’t go about suspending judges that might have been unjustly arrested….some of them do not even know their crimes yet nd some other have been accused wrongly. this is not fair at all
yanju omotodun
October 18, 2016 at 1:21 pm
keep shut david. how can someone who is on trial be judging another person on trial? use your head now. if they are found guiltless at the end, the suspension will be lifted.
david craig
October 18, 2016 at 1:50 pm
mannn…..dis is naija. dnt be fooled. this people are just be held for not dancing to the tunes of the federal govt. dis is not hollywood movie. dis is naija politics.
Olawale james anifowoshe
October 18, 2016 at 10:59 am
but ofcourse…..the judges needs to be suspented and have all their cases reviewed. that is how it should be done. you cannot as a judge have a criminal charge on you and still preside on a case.
victoria wilson
October 18, 2016 at 11:27 am
With the judges being charged with criminal offences, It also means, the honour of the judicial system is being questioned. as such, the judges needs to be suspended and have a judicial reassessment of their cases
JOHNSON PETER
October 18, 2016 at 12:48 pm
They should arraign the judges immediately so as to know their fate, keeping them for long in detention without trial is also tantamount to injustice.