By Ikechukwu Nnchiri
ABUJA – The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, yesterday, vowed to okay full fledged disciplinary action against some judges whose conduct he said exposes the judiciary to public opprobrium.
The CJN who made the declaration at the opening ceremony of a workshop organised for judicial officers in Abuja, yesterday, maintained that the "judiciary today is under intense and sustained public scrutiny more than ever in the history of this country."
He maintained that "in the face of this increasing public scrutiny, judicial officers, "like Caesar's wife,' must ensure that their judicial activities are irreproachable and their character unimpeachable," saying "judges are expected not simply to apply the law but to exemplify it."
Meanwhile, Judges across the federation who attended the workshop organised by the National Judicial Institute, NJI, got a shocker after the CJN announced his decision to forthwith, punish any of them that fail to commence court proceeding by 9:00 a.m.
According to the CJN, "we should effectively utilise judicial time by promptly disposing of the business of court and expeditiously bring to conclusion and determination matters under submission. Except for good reason, judicial officers must be punctual in court attendance, must maintain official hours of the court and commence the business of the court by 9:00am.
"Thus, a situation where some judges, habitually do not sit by 9:00am will no longer be overlooked. This is an unethical conduct which is unbecoming of serving judges. There cannot be any defence of this terrible conduct. In order to be in good position to manage case, the judge must sit promptly every sitting day.
"Consequently, the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of the National Judicial Council will be established and directed to promptly take administrative notice of such judges and forward their names to the Council for appropriate disciplinary action. On our part as Heads of Court, we shall not hesitate to bring these erring judges to book."
Vanguard Nigeria