Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice
Walter Onnoghen, yesterday disclosed that his office has received 1,124
corruption cases from various courts across the country since he assumed office
in March this year.
Justice Onnoghen revealed the
figure at the formal inauguration of the Corruption and other Financial Cases
Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO) at the NJC complex in Abuja.
“I have received 1,124 corruption
cases from various courts across the country. Therefore, the committee has a
lot of work ahead,” he said.
Onnoghen stressed that the
committee was formed “as part of the commitment of the judiciary to lend
support to the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to rid
Nigeria of corruption.”
He promised that all aspects of
judicial duties would be scrutinised, improved and re-aligned towards reform,
hinting that all judicial institutions and Heads of Courts have been advised to
provide COTRIMCO with all the necessary information and support to make
decisions from informed perspective.
The CJN said that “the committee
should have been headed by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice
Ayo Salami, who withdrew on personal ground.
“I am, however, hopeful that the
respected judicial officer would be available for other national judicial
assignments in the near future.”
He also paid tributes to the
members of COTRIMCO for accepting to serve their fatherland through the
assignment, despite their numerous other engagements.
Justice Onnoghen noted that “the
members were selected purely on merit and recognition of their track records of
service to their fatherland, as well as contributions to the development of the
country’s law and jurisprudence.”
He urged them to come up with
strategies that would help eliminate the delays and its attendant effects on
the speedy disposal of corruption cases, saying it was one of the ways they
could justify the high level of public confidence reposed in the committee.
He also advised the prosecution
and defence counsel to shun all unethical antics employed to delay hearing and
determination of corruption cases as Heads of Courts have been directed to
report such counsel.
The CJN warned that such counsel
would be referred to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (in the case
of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria) or the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary
Committee (in the case of other legal practitioners) for staff disciplinary measures.
In his response, chairman of the
committee, Justice Suleiman Galadima, thanked the Chief Justice for inviting
them to serve the nation.
He also assured him that the
members would bring to bear their wealth of experiences to ensure the purpose
for which the committee was set up, adding that it would strictly adhere to the
terms of reference.
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This is a welcome development. Kodus to CJN
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