Hundreds of protesters yesterday stormed the Supreme Court complex, inside Three Arms Zone, Abuja, demanding that the judges that are under investigation be suspended for their trial. The Department of State Services (DSS) had, on October 8 and 9, arrested seven judges over alleged corruption.
The judges were consequently released on bail. The seven judges arrested and released on bail are Justices – Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro, of the Supreme Court; suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya; Justice Adeniyi Ademola (Federal High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike; Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court; and Justice Muazu Pindiga (Gombe State High Court).
After their release, two of the judges, Justices Ademola and Nnamdi Dimgba, whose house was only raided had since resumed sitting. Also, the National Judicial Commission (NJC) had said it would not suspend the judges.
The protesters, under the aegis of Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria (FONGON), stated that all the seven judges that were arrested by the DSS between October 7 and 8, must vacate the Bench.
They further stated that the protest became necessary since NJC is not willing to suspend them. However, heavily armed security operatives comprising soldiers, DSS and mobile policemen, blocked the protesters from gaining entrance into the Supreme Court complex.
As soon as the protesters approached the gate of the Supreme Court, security men who said they acted upon instruction from above, quickly closed the Supreme Court gate.
People going inside the court premises were thoroughly searched even as those without valid identification card were turned back. This, however, forced the Supreme Court, which had earlier listed six cases for hearing, to conduct proceedings inside chamber.
The group gave a oneweek ultimatum to the judges to vacate their seats and allow for unimpeded investigations. FONGON also threatened that it would mobilize its members to occupy the Supreme Court if the judges failed to step aside.
Chairman of the organisation, Comrade Wole Badmus, who addressed journalists during the rally, said no member of the judiciary is above the law and untouchable, especially when found to be involved in criminal acts.
He added that the judges have erred according to the Money Laundering Act to have kept such a huge amount of cash at home. “Failure of NJC to stop all the judges under investigation from sitting, we have no choice than to occupy the courts the judges are sitting. When we are talking of the rule of law, you have to obey the rule of law first before we obey your rule of law.
You have been alleged of certain things and the best thing to do is to step aside and let investigations be done. “You cannot continue sitting there and pervert the course of justice.
We have 50 organisations here; we will be up to 200 organisations. From today, we are giving a one-week ultimatum for the judges under investigations, to step aside,” he added.
The group also said no judge should be untouchable or above the law as the constitution does not confer on members of the judiciary any immunity from prosecution if found guilty of any infraction.
According to him, “No judge or justice is beyond being arrested if found wanting in the discharge of his duty. We are surprised by the argument being put up by the judges. None has been able to come out clear to say the money found in his house did not exist.
“They are telling us stories meant for a threeyear- old toddler. When has a judge turned to farmer? Some other judges are claiming the money found in their houses are estacodes.
This is bunkum; we cannot believe it. Even by the law of Nigeria, once you have unspent estacode, you must return it to the coffers. Based on the Money Laundering Act of 2000, the money has to be declared, this sum found in the houses of these judges is very embarrassing when Nigerians are crying for food on the table, for qualitative education.
“A judge’s home is not Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it is not bureau de change, not black market; so I don’t know what argument they want to push. All judges and justices under investigation must step aside first not to pervert investigation. You cannot be a judge in your own case.
If you are being investigated for money laundering and they brought such case before you, what moral justification do you have to preside over such a matter?” The group accused the NJC of not doing enough to fight corruption in the judiciary.
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