President Jonathan approves retirement of suspended Judges

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the compulsory retirement of Justices Gladys Olotu and U. A. Inyang of the Federal High Court and FCT High Court respectively with effect from February 3 2014.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, who confirmed this to State House correspondents, said the compulsory retirement is in accordance with the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.

It would be recalled that the NJC last week announced the suspension of the justices for for gross misconduct after which it forwarded a recommendation for their cumpulsory retirement to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Giving details of the misdemeanour of the affected justices, the Acting Director of Information in the NJC, Soji Oye had explained that the council, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar “recommended the compulsory retirement from office of Justice G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court and Justice U. A. Inyang of High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, respectively for gross misconduct.”

He said the recommendation for compulsory retirement of the two judges was based on findings made by the NJC after investigations into allegations contained in petitions brought against them.

The NJC found that Justice Olotu “failed to deliver judgment on Suit No. FHC/UY/250/2003, 18 months after the final address by all the counsel in the suit, contrary to the constitutional provisions that judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days.”

Also, Justice Olotu “admitted before the Fact Finding Committee of the Council that investigated the allegations that she forgot she had a pending ruling to deliver in an application for joinder.” 

Read: Judicial Council recommends 2 Judges for sack for gross misconduct; ...issues warning to 3 others