NJC Recommends Compulsory Retirement Of Osun High Court Judge

NJC Recommends Compulsory Retirement Of Osun High Court Judge

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has proposed the compulsory retirement of Justice S.O Falola, a High Court Judge in Osun State, as it initiates investigations into 51 petitions against various judges over alleged misconduct in the discharge of their judicial duties.

Justice Falola, accused of issuing fraudulent orders against the provisions of the law, was recommended for compulsory retirement by the NJC, and the recommendation has been forwarded to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The NJC, at its 104th Meeting in Abuja, chaired by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, invoked its constitutional powers to suspend Justice Falola indefinitely, pending the governor’s decision on the recommendation.

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The NJC, as per a statement by the Director of Information, Mister Soji Oye, revealed that Justice Falola granted a Garnishee Order Absolute against Polaris Bank in a questionable manner, endorsing the order for the sum of N283,174,000.

The judge was found to have attached the account of the garnishee with another garnishee instead of the account of the Judgment Debtor obligated to pay the judgment sum.

The investigation committee, responding to a petition by Dapo Kolapo Olowo and Polaris Bank, found that Justice Falola entertained a suit without evidence of a judgment from the Kwara State High Court and without a Certificate of Registration in Osun State to confer jurisdiction on him. The judge’s visit to the counsel of the bank in Lagos regarding Garnishee Proceedings was deemed unbecoming of a judicial officer.

Consequently, the NJC recommended Justice Falola’s compulsory retirement to Governor Adeleke with immediate effect.

However, the NJC declined Governor Adeleke’s request to swear in the next Most Senior Judge in the State in an acting capacity following allegations against Justice Adepele Ojo, Chief Judge of Osun State, and the State House of Assembly’s resolution to suspend him. The NJC affirmed Justice Ojo as the recognized Chief Judge and asserted that only the State House of Assembly is constitutionally empowered to investigate and recommend actions against judicial officers.

At the meeting presided over by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the NJC established 11 probe panels to investigate 51 fresh petitions against other judicial officers for gross acts of misconduct.

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