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CJN wants higher pay for judges, warns lawyers against misconduct
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, has called for an increased salary for judges to enable them to discharge their constitutional duties creditably.
He spoke in Abuja at the special court session marking the official commencement of the Supreme Court’s 2020/2021 legal year and the inauguration of 72 new Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The CJN, who was represented by the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, also warned against disrespect of court orders.
He said, “The welfare of judicial officers is another critical issue that we can’t afford to sweep under the carpet. The paltry sum of money being collected as monthly salaries is an issue that needs urgent redress.
“The annual budget has been on a steady decline; and that has adversely affected the state of infrastructure in our courts.”
The Chief Justice warned against professional misconduct by lawyers, saying that they could be sanctioned.
He said, “Obedience of lawful court orders has no alternative in any sane society. A threat to this is simply a call for anarchy. I believe strongly that there is no right thinking citizen of this country, who will tread that path of infamy.
“We must respect and duly observe all the tenets of an enduring democracy. Nigeria is not a lawless society and no one, irrespective of his or her status, should turn it into one.
“Most times, some persons who, by sheer stroke of providence, find themselves in position of authority, flagrantly disobey lawful court orders, and even make a boast of it.
“Such acts will henceforth not be condoned. In fact, they will be met with severe consequences. We must extinguish such raging fire before it consumes us. Some people have now found pleasure in invading courtrooms and even assaulting judges.
“The correctional centres are not there for decoration, such literally incorrigible and obstinate elements in our midst must be tutored in those centres to deter the several others eagerly waiting in the queue to embark on such inglorious expedition. The court will not only bark but will bite harder and deeper too.
Justice Muhammad, who described this year as an unusual year, particularly with the disruptive effective of the coronavirus, noted that the Supreme Court did not do badly.
He noted that 908 cases, comprising of motions and appeals were filed in the court during the last legal year, out of which it heard 497 civil cases, 168 criminal case and 35 political, totaling 700 motions.
“In the same vein, the court considered a total number of 208 appeals, being 134 civil, 52 criminal and 22 political. In all, a total number of 189 judgments were given within the legal year under review,” he said.
The CJN urged lawyers to always observe court rules and conduct themselves as true professionals and with dignity.
“Apart from the mode of dressing, which I have occasionally complained about, the conduct of some of them within and outside the courtrooms calls for serious concern.
“Some have turned the court premises to press interview centres where they cast all manner of aspersions on judicial officers, especially when judgments do not favour them.
“Henceforth, severe sanctions will be meted out on them; therefore, they should always show the ability and capacity to counsel clients well.”
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Yahaya Bello: Court summons EFCC chair over contempt
Yahaya Bello: Court summons EFCC chair over contempt
A Kogi State high court has ordered Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to appear before it on May 13 to show why he should not be convicted for allegedly disobeying its order.
The presiding judge, Isa Jamil Abdullahi, gave the order on Friday while ruling in a suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and motion No: HCL/190M/2024, filed by former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello.
Bello on February 8, Bello instituted a suit asking the court to restrain the commission from arresting him.
The court granted the injunction restraining the EFCC on February 9.
But the EFCC on March 12 filed an appeal against the order.
However, the commission has filed a notice to withdraw the appeal.
In the notice filed on April 22, the anti-graft agency said the withdrawal was predicated on the fact that events had overtaken the appeal.
The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed out of the time allowed by law.
Bello approached the court again, praying for an order to invite the EFCC chairman and slammed with a contempt of court allegation.
The judge granted Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.
“The applicant’s application before me is to the effect that the respondent has carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this court on February 9, pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice before this court,” the judge held.
“That the said act was carried out by the respondent in violation of the order which was valid and subsisting when they carried out those acts. That same act of the respondent amounts to an act of contempt.
“It’s against the above facts that this court hereby grants the prayers sought in line with the principle of ‘Audi Ultra Patem’ (listen to the other side).
“This matter is adjourned to May 13 for the respondent’s chairman to appear before this court in answer to form 49 ordered to be served on him.”
News
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
Members of the organised labour, on Friday, protested and shut down the headquarters of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) over alleged cut of workers’ salaries in the agency by the management of the fund.
The aggrieved protesters, led by the President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo and executive members of the Association of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFE), started their demonstrations at about 11:00am.
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Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the protesters alleged that the management led by Mrs Maureen Allagoa, the Managing Director of the Fund, had made deductions of consequential taxes from their salaries to the tune of N2.1bn which were not remitted.
Addressing the protesters, Osifo said the protest and subsequent shutdown of the Fund became imperative after efforts made by the leadership of ASSBIFE to resolve the issue amicably with the management failed.
The protesters urged President Bola Tinubu to sack the MD of the agency with immediate effect to avert “looming crises” in the Fund and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe their claims.
Both the MD of the Fund, Mrs Allagoa and spokesman of the Fund, Mr Godson Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report.
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
News
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
Hamma Bello, the eighth prosecution witness in the trial of Winifred Oyo-Ita, a former Head of Service of the Federation, has narrated how N3 billion was diverted to private companies.
The witness stated this while testifying before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday about how the defendant and her subordinates diverted public funds into their private companies.
Oyo-Ita, the first defendant, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, along with her special assistants; Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant) and Garba Umar (fourth defendant).
Others are six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments, on 18 counts bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over N3 billion.
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The witness, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi, and H.M. Mohammed, told the court that Oyo-Ita used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited – fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Umar.
The first entry transaction of Good Deal Investment Limited. in February 2019 showed that N42,748,201.47 was paid into its Zenith Bank account.
Umar, the witness said, incorporated the company with Oyo-Ita’s full knowledge.
“We called for the account statements of these two companies, and upon analysing them, we realised he (Umar) was paid several sums of money from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where he is an employee.
“And upon interviewing the fourth defendant, he admitted that he was also a contractor. He also admitted to have paid the first defendant on several occasions from the proceeds of the transaction,” the witness said.
On April 27, 2019, the witness disclosed that a transfer of N20, 2027, 142 was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited.
The mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok.
Investigation, according to the witness, also revealed that the seventh defendant incorporated Asanaya Projects Limited in his name with the knowledge of the first defendant and that approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.
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The witness said, “The seventh defendant, upon interview, confirmed he had never travelled for most of the funds he received and that the first defendant was aware of and benefitted on several occasions from the funds. The account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by the seventh defendant.
“In summary, from 2015 to 2018, U and U Global Limited received several payments in the form of Duty Tour Allowances and estacodes. Sometimes, payments from the federal government were made directly to the account, for instance, on March 24, 2016, he received N40, 313, 453. 58. This particular payment was from the federal government.”
Further in his testimony, the witness stated that, “Exhibit O is the Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd. On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four entries, N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure, who used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.
“There were also outward payments to Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account.”
Speaking further, he said, “I also want to add that we invited the first, second and seventh defendant at different times to our office and interviewed them. In the case of the first defendant, we printed chats from her phone and saw conversations she had with contractors, subordinates, and permanent secretaries. She also voluntarily made a statement to the EFCC.”
The matter was adjourned till April 30, 2024.
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
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