Expose corrupt judges, lawyers to save judiciary integrity, Falana urges NJC, NBA

LAGOS based human right lawyer, Chief Femi Falana, on Monday, in Enugu, called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to quickly save the integrity of the judiciary by identifying and exposing corrupt judges and lawyers.

Falana noted that the corruption in the judiciary had become so alarming that “these days, no matter how bad your case may be, its outcome is determined by the size of your pocket.”

The activist, who spoke as a guest speaker at the opening of the Law Week of the Enugu Branch of the NBA, with the theme: “Corruption and the Justice Sector: Implications for the Rule of Law and Democracy,” said invading the homes of criminal suspects at night was completely out of order “whatever the offences may be.”

He said the situation was becoming worrisome especially when the houses of senior military, police and officers of other law enforcement agencies accused of corruption have not been so invaded, adding that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, should be vicariously held liable for the consequences of such raids having accepted that he was the one that authorised the raids on the homes of judges by operatives of the State Security Services (SSS).

“The government should better watch it because I recalled that sometime during the military junta, myself, Beko Ransome-Kuti and Gani Fawehinmi were severally harassed by state agents for projecting human rights views. I later discovered that it was not actually Babangida that ordered such harassment, but they were executed by those behind the Okar Coup who wanted the Human Rights community to have disdain and hatred for the Babangida administration, so that when they topple him, our support would be enlisted.”

He, however, blamed the “ongoing embarrassment of our judges” on some senior lawyers who he accused of refusing to do the needful by exposing and shaming the few judges that are bent on dragging the integrity of the judiciary in the mud, insisting “there is no corrupt judge that is not known to the lawyers.

“Because of the actions of few corrupt judges, the institution is being denigrated. We still have judges who are working in the most difficult conditions and have refused to be tainted. NBA should speak out and protect the good judges.”

A few judges, a few senior advocates, a few lawyers are corrupt. We should isolate them, name them and shame them. We have to stop at just pointing accusing fingers but go the extra-miles of carrying out thorough investigations so as to unveil these bad eggs,” Falana noted.

While also not absolving the NBA leadership from the corruption spree, Falana who hinted that he would soon withdraw his membership of the association, said the national election of the association had become even more expensive than a state gubernatorial election where candidates spend as much as N700 million to run for the presidency.

Attributing some of the conflicting judgements coming from Federal High Courts, especially in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt, to the corrupt activities that have enveloped the judiciary, he regretted that the situation might degenerate if nothing urgent is done to arrest the situation.