The National Judicial Council on Wednesday night recommended the immediate and compulsory retirement of three controversial judges. They are Abubakar Talba, Thomas Naron, and Charles Archibong.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Mukhtar, who presided over a meeting at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, called for the sack of the judges on ethical grounds.
The recommendations, it was gathered will go to President Goodluck Jonathan for his assent.
Talba had sentenced police pension boss, Yakubu Yusufu, to two years in prison each on a three-count charge with an option of N250, 000 fine on each charge. Yusufu pleaded guilty to stealing N2 billion. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had accused him of embezzling N30 billion.
The second judge, Naron, was investigated by the NJC for the ruling he gave at the first election petition tribunal on the 2007 Osun State gubernatorial poll.
Naron and the three other judges were allegedly bribed in order to favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, and its candidate, former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Call records showed that Naron and Oyinlola’s lawyer, Kunle Kaleijaye, SAN, were having secret discussions prior to the controversial ruling.
Oyinlola was later sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced with the authentic winner, Rauf Aregbesola.
The NJC also recommended Mr. Kalejaiye, to the Nigeria Bar Association for punishment for his role in the scandal.
The third judge disciplined by the NJC is Justice Archibong. He, like the two other judges delivered a dubious judgment over the case of a humiliated banker and former boss of Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola.
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