The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of Justice Michael Goji of the High Court of Adamawa State for refusing to proceed on transfer to the Mubi Judicial Division of the State High Court since July, 2017.
The NJC, at its 86th meeting which was held on the 8th and 9th May, this year, found Justice Goji guilty of misconduct and recommended his compulsory retirement to the Governor of Adamwa State, Bindo Umaru Jibrilla.
NJCโs Director, Information, Soji Oye said, in a statement yesterday the council directed that Justice Goji be immediately suspended from office, pending when the governor will effect his compulsory retirement.
The statement added: โAside from the recommendation for compulsory retirement, council also directed that he should refund all salaries received by him from July, 2017 till date, failing which the Adamawa State Government is to deduct the amount from any entitlement due to him and remit same to the NJC which pays salaries of all judicial officers in the federation.โ
Oye said the NJC has also recommended the appointment of 21 judges, including a member for the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The appointment of a member to the CCT will raise the number of its members to three from the current two.
The NJC, Oye further said, dismissed petitions against some judicial officers, including Justice Paul Galinje of the Supreme Court, and set up seven panels to investigate petitions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against judges and others.
Part of the statement reads: โCouncil considered the reports of various investigation committees and dismissed petitions written against Hon. Mr. Justice Paul Adamu Galinje of the Supreme Court, Hon. Mr. Justice Aminu Sabo Ringim, Chief Judge, Jigawa State, and Hon. Mr. Justice Peter Umeadi, Chief Judge, Enugu State.
โThe petition against Justice Galinje was dismissed sequel to its withdrawal by Hon. Yaro Abarshi and Hon. John Yobi Yarafa and others, who alleged that he interfered in a chieftaincy matter in Taraba State.
โThe petition against Justice Ringim was also dismissed because the Petitioner, Dr Jamil Gwamna, who wrote to Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, Minister of Power and Works who in turn forwarded same to the National Judicial Council, withdrew the petition.
โThe allegation was that the Hon. Judge ordered the arrest, assault, and detention of staff of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) when they disconnected the electricity at the State High Court and the Judgeโs house for non-payment of bills.
โThe committee that investigated the matter found that the petitioner could not show or prove that Justice Ringim instructed or directed the arrest of KEDCOโs staff.
โCouncil did not find any reason to further investigate Justices Paul Galinje and Aminu Ringim after the withdrawals.
โPetitions against various judges were dismissed for lack of establishment of misconduct, being subjudice or that such petitions were matters for appeal.
โThe dismissed petitions were against Hon. Mr. Justices A. I. Chikere and J. T Tsoho, Emeka Nwite and Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court; Hon. Mr. Justice Adetokunbo Banjoko of FCT High Court, Hon. Mr. Justice Taminu Zailani, Chief Judge, Kaduna, Hon. Mr. Justice M. A. Adeigbe, High Court, Osun State (who had already retired from the Bench), and Hon. Mr. Justice E. N. Ogbuiji, High Court, Rivers State.
โCouncil at the meeting also recommended 21 judges for appointment as Chief Judges, Grand Kadi, High Court Judges, Sharia Court Kadis, President, Customary Court of Appeal, and one member, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
โCouncil also received the Report of the Performance Evaluation Committee of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Record in the Federation on 16 judges invited by the committee to explain their low performance in the last two to four quarters in the year 2017.โ
