Group petitions NJC, wants judge’s allegation investigated

[Mirror]

A recent allegation made by a retiring Justice of the Federal High Court, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, that a Supreme Justice attempted to influence his judgement has continued to draw condemnations as a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, Access to Justice (AJ), yesterday asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the claim.

It will be recalled that during the valedictory court session in honour of Justice Okechukwu Okeke (rtd) which held on May, 27, 2013, the retiring Justice alleged that extrajudicial attempts were made to influence how he determined a particular proceedings involving Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Justice Okeke claimed that a serving Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, attempted to influence him through her daughter to make him vacate the order he had made in a case brought by AMCON.

He claimed that his refusal to vacate the order led to the petitions written against him and that the petitions were responsible for his reprimand by the NJC.

In the petition made by the Access to Justice, a copy of which was made available to the National Mirror yesterday, the group asked NJC to investigate the matter, saying the development portends bad omen for the nation's justice administration.

A part of the petition signed by the AJ's Executive Director, Mr. Joseph Chuma Otteh, read: "These allegations by Hon. Justice O. Okeke (rtd) were made in the presence of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Auta, who was also mentioned in the reported sequence of events involving the named Supreme Court Justice.

"These allegations raise very troubling concerns for the independence and integrity of the administration of justice in Nigeria and need to be thoroughly, promptly and credibly investigated.

National Mirror