Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen

The Presidency on Tuesday said the National Judicial Council (NJC) was trying to prevent justice from taking its course by recalling six judges accused of bribery and corruption.

The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla made the accusation while reacting to the NJC’s action on a television programme.

Obono-Obla described the action of NJC as a disappointment and a setback to justice delivery and the anti – corruption crusade of the current administration.

 “What the NJC has done is a big disappointment and it seems as if they don’t want to co-operate with the executive in fighting corruption,” Obono-Obla said.

 He also claimed the judicial body acted in haste to recall the judges when they were fully aware that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was in the process of filing criminal charges against them. He also made reference to the case of Justice Adeniyi Ademola who was tried, discharched and acquitted but whose case is on appeal.

“It is a well known fact in law that once a matter is on appeal, every party waits for the superior court to rule on it instead of rushing to take any rash decision in an attempt to prevent the superior court from doing its work,” he added.

As the recall of the six indicted judges continues to elicit reactions from different sections of the country, notable lawyers have thrown their weight behind the NJC, saying the body acted  according to the dictates of natural justice in recalling the jurists as no form of charges have been entered against them in any court of law almost six months after they were suspended.

 Said Chief Mike Ozekhome,Senior Advocate of Nigeria in a chat with Vanguard:

“The state should stop persecution rather than prosecution. We are not in a Banana Republic or George Orwel’s Animal Farm. Until the appellate court upturns the earlier judgment of the lower court, such judgment subsists and is enforceable. The only exception is if there is a stay of execution. It is therefore right for the NJC to recall the judges to work. It was even too late in coming.”

It would be recalled that the NJC, headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Walter Onnoghen last weekend at the end of its 82nd meeting, recalled six indicted judges namely Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Uwani Abba Aji, Justice Hydiazira A. Nganjiwa, Justice Musa H. Kurya, Justice Agbadu James Fishim and Justice Adeniyi Ademola.