A Magistrate dismissed, two others demoted for Misconduct.
The committee set up to investigate the petitions against the Magistrate of Salka,H/W Mohammed Bako Iya on gross misconduct,abuse of power and propagation of injurious falsehood and defamatory statement headed by Hon Justice Ahmed Danladi Badeggi has submitted it reports with the recommendation of his dismissal from service.
In the report submitted by the committee to the state Judicial Service commission while briefing Journalists on the outcome of the committee, the Secretary of the Commission Abdul Rahman Ahmed Garafini said the allegations were sufficiently proved by the Petitioner.
According to the report,the respondent His Worship Mohammed Bako Iya unequivocally admitted the allegations levelled against him before the committee.
In the report he was seen fraternizing with the suspect Saba D.Idris who was standing trial at the Magistrate Court Bangi premises where he had gone there to discuss with the Presiding Magistrate on behalf of the suspect.
He mentioned that the respondent practically jettisoned his call as a Judicial officer by giving legal advice and representing the suspect Saba D Idris and further shielded him against arrest by the Police and court.
The report also said respondent before the committee admitted he spoke to the Presiding Magistrate,Bangi and the I P O on behalf of the suspect for them to assist him.
He further admitted that he sent an order to the First Bank Kontagora to unfreeze the suspect’s account and there was no formal complain or case file in his court, magistrate court Salka prio to that order to unfreezing the account.
“the decision to unfreeze the account by the First Bank Kontagora was predicated on the order made by the respondent against an earlier order of magistrate court Bangi freezing the account of the suspect’.
As a result of that act by H/W Mohammed Bako Iya, proceed of police investigation on criminal matter before the court was lost as a result of the deliberate action of the respondent.
The report said the Magistrate was also indicted in the second petition for using his power to intimidate and collect the sum of N400,000 from Fulani herders.
The committee, according to the Secretary Garafini discovered that the Magistrate“was a judge in his own case and used instrument of his office to facilitate a gainful benefit for his personal interest and private affairs”.
The committee looking at the gravity of the allegations proved against His Worship Mohammed Bako Iya recommends for his dismissal from service with immediate effect.
Similarly the second committee headed by the Hon Justice Mohammed Mohammed in his report found His Honour Abdullahi Nasiru the Sharia Court Judge of Kotun Bola, Minna guilty to have committed traversty of justice and abuse of Judicial process and Honourable Mohammed Baba Enagi of Sharia court Badeggi was found guilty of the act of misconduct and abuse of office.
The two Sharia court Judges were demoted by one grade level and attached to a superior Judges to undergo one year tutelage.
