Judiciary will no longer tolerate misconduct from Magistrates…Says Chief Judge Halima.
The Chief Judge of Niger state, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik has lambasted some magistrates for exhibiting professional misconduct and delving into cases beyond their jurisdiction thereby bringing the state Judiciary to disrepute.
Justice Halima Abdulmalik stated this on Thursday while swearing-in the new Secretary of the Niger State Judicial Service Commission, Hauwa Kulu Isah.
H
alima expressed disappointment over such misconduct and other untidy actions of the magistrates as exposed during her recent visit to correctional centres in the state, warning that the judiciary will no longer tolerate such misconduct from the Magistrates.
She said, ” honestly, I do not want to see your faces. My recent vist to correctional centres has exposed many of your unprofessional activities. At the remand home, Minna a 23 years old accused person was remanded in the mist of juveniles. There were three of such instances at the remand home. In one of the instances, the accused was ordered to be remanded at correctional center but the remand warrant was altered to remand home”.
Justice Halima Abdulmalik said that she also saw a situation where an accused person who has never seen the four corners of a court was unlawfully detained in Suleja prison with unsigned FIR.
” I have to order the arrest of the police prosecutor in this matter. We have no regret even when the police have invited the concerned magistrates for statement” she said.
The Chief Judge also expressed serious concern over complaints against a magistrate in Minna warning that he has no powers to decide on Exparte motion bordering on fundamental rights.
Halima also expressed dismay that the same magistrate went ahead on judgement enforcement when the matter was already with appellant court..
In her acceptance speech, the new NJSC secretary, Hauwa Kulu Isah pledged to work hard in revamping the state Judiciary in line with the vision of the Chief Judge.
She thanked the Chief Judge for the appointment and promised to uphold the confidence reposed on her by the judiciary.
