NAACC Petitions NJC Against Anambra CJ
A non-governmental organisation, National Association of Anti Corruption Crusaders (NAACC) has dragged the Anambra State Chief Judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, before the National Judicial Council (NJC) demanding his investigation and suspension.
In a petition by Okechukwu Ndubuisi, Interim National Coordinator; Alkali Shagari and Interim National Secretary and Oyewole Amosun, Interim Director of Media and Public Affairs, to the NJC, the group accused the CJ of entertaining court cases on a matter that had already been determined by the Supreme Court.
NAACC said by assigning cases related to the dispute among Ukpo, Abba and Abagana communities, which had been decided by the Supreme Court in favour of Ukpo community to Anambra State high courts, the CJ was indirectly supporting abuse of judicial process.
“The matter in focus bothers on a land dispute between Ukpo, Abba and Abagana communities in Anambra State which was decided by the apex court in favour of Ukpo, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State. It is worrisome that the judge has been listening to those resurrecting the case which had been decided by the Supreme Court under various guise.”
The group said that the Ukpo, Abba and Abagana Community land case had long been decided by the Supreme Court in favour of Ukpo Community over four and half years ago. However, some unguided litigants in Abagana and Abba Communities have continued to bring up the matter in some High Courts in Anambra State under different guise and the Chief Judge has been entertaining such abuse of the judicial process.”
It said the Chief Judge should be aware of the Supreme Court judgment on the case and should not have assigned cases related to it to judges in the state.
“This continuous assignment of the same case by the Chief Judge of Anambra State multiple times is clearly unprofessional and unethical,” the group said.
NAACC called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria “to use his good offices to cause an investigation into this act by the Anambra State Chief Judge and save the judiciary from further perception crisis.
“We believe that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, has a moral burden to ensure that the judiciary remains professional. It must be emphasised that the bench must be totally weaned of officials who are unprofessional.”
The group called for the suspension of the Chief Judge, while the investigation continues, saying that the CJN should “constitute a panel to investigate this case knowing that the body has shown over the years that it truly has the capacity to rein in erring judges.
“It must be emphasised that the Ukpo, Abba and Abagana land dispute had been decided up to the level of the Supreme Court and therefore no lower court has the authority to hear the suit again.
“For a Chief Judge to assign cases related to the matter should be viewed as judicial immorality and we therefore we insist that this must be investigated.”
