The National Judicial Council in a late night meeting on Wednesday
recommended the immediate compulsory retirement of three controversial
judges. They are Abubakar Talba, Thomas Naron, and Charles Archibong.
In a meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam
Mukhtar, at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, the NJC called for the
immediate compulsory retirement of the judges on ethical grounds. The
recommendations will go to President Goodluck Jonathan who has the power
of final approval.
Mr. Talba was the judge who sentenced a self confessed pension thief,
Yakubu Yusufu, to two years in prison each on a three-count charge with
an option of fine of N250, 000 on each charge.
Mr. Yusufu had pleaded guilty to stealing N2 billion of about N30
billion he was charged with by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC. He promptly paid the fine and was set free though
later arrested and tried on another charge by the commission.
The commission said Mr. Talba reneged on a verbal agreement it had with
the accused and the judge that the convict be jailed without an option
of fine.
Oyinlola’s judge
The second judge, Mr. Naron, was investigated by the NJC for the
scandalous ruling he led three other judges to give as the first
election petition tribunal in Osun State after the controversial 2007
elections.
Mr. Naron and the other judges are believed to have been compromised by
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government of the then governor,
Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Call records later showed that Mr. Naron and Mr. Oyinlola’s lawyer,
Kunle Kaleijaye, were having secret discussions prior to the
controversial ruling.
Mr. Oyinlola was to later be sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced
with the authentic winner of the election, Rauf Aregbesola.
The NJC also recommended Mr. Kalejaiye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
to the Nigeria Bar Association for punishment for his role in the
scandal.
The third judge disciplined by the NJC is Justice Archibong who
presided over the case of alleged rogue banker, Erastus Akingbola.
Justice Abubakar Talba ... Pension thief John Yusuf let off with N250,000 option of fine for
stealing N23 Billion.
Justice Thomas Naron .. Controversial election petitions tribunal ruling in Osun State involving Oyinlola.
Justice Archibong who presided over the case of alleged rogue banker, Erastus Akingbola.
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