The Kano State Judicial Service Commission has queried two Upper Sharia Court Judges for various offences bordering on judicial impropriety.
The commission considered the disciplinary action during the recently concluded 80th meeting, where the recommendations of the investigation conducted by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee were adopted.
The affected Judge, Mansur Ibrahim of the Upper Sharia Court, was issued a formal warning upon evidence that confirmed he applied derogatory language against a litigant.
Similarly, an Upper Sharia Court Judge, Nasiru Ahmad, also served a query and formally cautioned for ordering the detention of a judgment debtor in a manner that suggested personal interest and compromised judicial impartiality.
The commission, in a statement, by Baba Jibo Ibrahim, spokesman of the state judiciary, on Sunday evening, reminded all judicial officers to maintain restraint and always respect the dignity of court users.
The commission emphasised that discretionary powers must be exercised with fairness and objectivity to preserve public confidence in the judiciary while reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy for misconduct and corruption.
Adamu, who was said to have committed similar violence-related offences and served with a series of queries, was found guilty of gross misconduct and necessitated disciplinary sanctions against him.
Also sanctioned, a principal Registrar, Maigida Lawan of the Sharia Court of Appeal, was found guilty of demanding and accepting improper gratification under false pretences. The Commission demoted Lawan by one grade level from GL-13 to GL-12 and suspended him for six months without pay.
“In line with the mandate, the Commission adopted the recommendations of the investigations carried out by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee and resolved to suspend two court registrars and issue formal warnings to two Upper Sharia Court judges whose conduct fell short of expected standards,” Lawan said.
“In addition to the specific sanctions against those individuals, the Commission issued a strong warning to all court staff, anyone found engaging in corrupt practices will be directed to proceed on compulsory retirement, as the JSC will not and cannot condone any act of corruption.”
