Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open
\nletter to ustice Mahmud Mohammed, Chief Justice of Nigeria in his capacity
\nas the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) seeking
\nexplanations on what \u201che and the NJC knew or had reason to know regarding
\nthe report to them on 1st February, 2016 by Justice John Inyang Okoro,
\nJustice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the alleged visit by Mr Rotimi
\nAmaechi, Minister of Transportation to the official residence of Justice
\nOkoro to allegedly discuss election Appeals in respect of Rivers State,
\nAkwa Ibom State and Abia State.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter dated 21 October 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni states that, \u201cWe consider these allegations as
\nconstituting a serious threat to the independence, impartiality and
\naccountability of the judiciary, and should in the ordinary course of
\nduties, have prompted action from your Lordship and the NJC to wit:
\nundertaking prompt, thorough and transparent investigations, and where
\nthere is prima-facie evidence of political interference in the judicial
\nsystem, to report the matter to the appropriate anticorruption commissions
\nand agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter reads in part: \u201cSERAP strongly believes that the NJC has a
\nresponsibility to support judges in dealing with alleged corrupt
\ninducements that are offered or the threats they receive, such as the
\nallegations in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this respect, SERAP wishes to pose the following questions to your
\nLordship and the NJC: First, is it correct to suggest that Justice Okoro
\nreported to you and the NJC on 1st February, 2016 his alleged meeting at
\nhis official residence with Mr Rotimi Amaechi? Was Justice Okoro\u2019s report
\ndocumented by your Lordship and the NJC? If so, Nigerians would like to
\nhear from your Lordship and the NJC whether Justice Okoro\u2019s report was
\never discussed, and what action, if any, was taken by your Lordship and
\nthe NJC to respond to the allegations raised in his report?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSecond, is it fair to suggest that your Lordship and the NJC knew, or had
\nreason to know, that the alleged visit by Mr Amaechi to Justice Okoro\u2019s
\nofficial residence would constitute a case of political interference in
\nthe judicial system and a corruption offence under Nigerian laws and the
\nUN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThird, after the alleged visit was brought to the attention of your
\nLordship and the NJC, did your Lordship and the NJC take any step to
\npromptly and thoroughly investigate the matter further? Fourth, would your
\nLordship and the NJC agree that the alleged visit to Justice Okoro\u2019s
\nofficial residence to discuss election Appeals has seriously undermined
\nthe public trust and confidence in the judiciary, and the image of the
\njudiciary as the last hope of the common man?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFifth, is it correct to suggest that it is part of the inherent and
\nimplicit constitutional duties of the NJC to ensure that the judiciary as
\na whole does not lay itself open to the risk of political interference,
\nmanipulation and coercion to act in a certain way? Is it also correct to
\nsuggest that such duties require the NJC to promptly and thoroughly
\ninvestigate allegations of political interference in the judicial system,
\nthat is, when those in political power allegedly use their influence to
\nforce or induce judges to act and rule according to their interests and
\nnot in accordance with the application of the law?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSixth, would your Lordship and the NJC accept that the alleged visit by
\nMr Amaechi to the official residence of Justice Okoro to allegedly discuss
\nelection Appeals was motivated, facilitated and encouraged by the apparent
\nfailure by the NJC to ensure, as part of its inherent and implicit
\nconstitutional duties: (1) that system was in place to ensure prompt and
\nthorough investigation of allegations of political interference in the
\njudicial system and where there is prima facie evidence, to refer such
\nallegations to appropriate anticorruption commissions and agencies for
\nfurther investigation and possible prosecution, in strict accordance with
\nthe standards of national laws and international law including the UN
\nConvention against Corruption; (2) that any such system was operating in a
\ncontinuous and effective manner?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeventh, would your Lordship and the NJC proceed to establish a system to
\nensure prompt and thorough investigation of allegations of political
\ninterference in the judicial system, and then ensure that through such
\nsystem the alleged visit of Mr Amaechi to Justice Okoro\u2019s official
\nresidence is promptly and thoroughly investigated by the NJC, and where
\nthere is prima facie evidence of political interference, that the matter
\nis promptly referred to appropriate anticorruption commissions and
\nagencies for further investigation and possible prosecution?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNigerians are eagerly awaiting clarifications from your Lordship and the
\nNJC on the issues raised above.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to reports, Justice Okoro in his recent letter to your Lordship
\nstated that he reported to you the alleged visit by Mr Amaechi to his
\nofficial residence to allegedly discuss how to win election Appeals in
\nrespect of Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Abia State. Justice Okoro
\nalso said that he told your Lordship about the visit of Mr. Umana Umana to
\nhis residence to allegedly make the same request of assistance to win the
\nappeal at the Supreme Court.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter to ustice Mahmud Mohammed, Chief Justice of Nigeria in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n