The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to stop judges that have so far been indicted of corruption from presiding over cases in courts until they are cleared of the allegation.
The Executive Secretary of the Committee, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, told newsmen in Abuja that Judges suspected of complicity in financial crimes should not preside over cases in court.
“The reason is because all over the world, if a Judge is appearing before another court on criminal charges, all cases before him should be shut.”
Also, Chairman of the Committee, Professor Itse Sagey said that a corrupt Judge is committing a crime against humanity, adding that those who have criticized the Department of State Services (DSS), have not looked at the implication of judicial corruption.
“Any judge who is corrupt is committing a crime against humanity. He destroys our confidence on the State; it encourages people to resort to self-help.
“There are some governors who did not win election, yet judges gave vent to that. If the judiciary is corrupt, it is the only body that has the power of life and death over Nigerians.
“We need the judiciary, we need an upright judiciary. If we don’t put the judiciary right, a judiciary with moral authority, then we have no government.”
He said that the moral authority of past Supreme Court judges had crashed, adding: “having fallen, ants can climb it. When a judge is corrupt he should be treated like one of us.” [myad]
