Niger Chief Judge Cautions Shariah Court Judge Against Unprofessional conduct
The Niger State Chief Judge, Justice Halima Abdulmalik, has cautioned an Upper Shariah Court Judge, Abbas Mohammed of Kpakungu Minna against professional misconduct which he said contributed to the already dented image of the state’s judicial sector.
The Chief Judge was reacting to the Shariah Court Judge’s incarceration of a suspect in a correctional facility without any charge against him and has been unable to convincingly explain to her the offence committed by the suspect to warrant his incarceration.
Chief Judge Halima Worries by the unjustifiable incarceration of the alleged suspect by the name, Saidu Kodi, Abdulmalik warned that her leadership as the Chief Judge would continue to use the instrument of the judiciary to hammer on any errant judicial officers using his or her office to abuse dispensation of justice..
“I am worried by the insults and curses citizens, particularly victims of subverted justice who see us as being corrupt and biased heap on us on a daily basis. The judiciary is supposed to be the last hope of the common man, but can we ask ourselves, are we leaving up to those expectations? Justice Halima rhetorically asked.
Justice Abdulmalik said the days were gone when magistrates, judges and other judicial officers would use their offices to intimidate and oppressed the downtrodden. and the masses as they no longer have hope in the judiciary adding that any judiciary officer found wanting in the discharge of his official duty shall be made to face full wrath of the law.
“People no longer have confidence in us. I will not accept that any longer”, she lamented and promised to use all the legal powers in her disposition and the laid down procedures to deal with any judiciary officer engaged in unprofessional conduct on the course of discharge of their duties.
Justice Halima described Abbas as someone trying to assume the status of ‘Pharaoh’, the Chief Judge said the unjust incarceration of a suspect without trial simply paint erroneous picture that there is no hope for the common man in the state judiciary under her very watch.
Regretting that, while busy trying all possible best to restore sanity to the sector and give hope to the common man, it is unfortunate that the attitude of the likes of Abbas is rather compounding the already battered image and must not be allowed unnoticed.
“Your conduct, keeping this suspect in detention for unknown offence against him is like playing Pharaoh over him and this must not be allowed to continue”, she declared that it will no longer be business as usual as those who abuse their offices for personal gains will pay dearly because she is determined to end all forms of tyranny among judicial officers.
“Our names and integrity are in question because of people like you in the system. Nigerians, including Nigerlites have lost confidence in the judiciary. We are being insulted and cursed in towns, villages and everywhere, I am worried. The judiciary is being called all sorts of names because of the unprofessional conduct of your likes”.CJ lamented.
