Rita Odafe
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of Kano State has taken disciplinary actions against eight judicial staff due to claims of misconduct.
Sanctions implemented by the JSC involve suspensions, warnings, and indefinite removals from their positions, which followed investigations by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee (JPCC).
One of the affected officials, Magistrate Nasir Ado, faced two complaints against him.
Baba Ibrahim, the Kano State Judiciary spokesperson, shared these details in a statement on Sunday.
The JPCC’s inquiry revealed that Ado had presided over court cases without proper documentation and had tampered with records to create a false representation.
Ibrahim stated that the commission accepted the JPCC’s findings, categorizing Ado’s behavior as severe misconduct, leading to his removal from the judiciary.
Similarly, Sharia judge Yusuf Kawu was found guilty of overstepping his authority by releasing a convict sentenced to a year in prison without the possibility of a fine.
The statement highlighted, “The commission deemed Judge Yusuf Kawu’s actions unlawful and his explanation insufficient. As a result, he has been indefinitely removed from his judicial duties.”
Furthermore, Magistrate Sanusi Atana was warned after overextending his judicial responsibilities.
“The commission cautioned Sanusi Atana to refrain from exceeding his jurisdiction. He improperly took on the role of handling a recovery of premises case in a criminal trial and granted bail to a suspect prior to the official ruling date without informing the prosecution,” Ibrahim added.
In a more serious case, Finance Registrar Salisu Nayola from the Kiru Sharia Court has been mandated to retire due to soliciting bribes from families seeking inheritance rights.
Ibrahim remarked, “Investigations confirmed that Salisu Nayola collaborated with Alkali Abdulmuminu Nuhu, who was also involved in accepting bribes. Accordingly, Nayola must retire immediately, while Abdulmuminu Nuhu will be suspended from judicial duties for two years.”
More warnings were given to Alkali Abubakar Abdullahi of the Sharia Court in Takai for overstepping his jurisdiction.
Ibrahim noted, “The commission agreed with the JPCC’s advice, reminding the judge to confine himself within his lawful jurisdiction and avoid cases beyond his scope.”
Additionally, Shuaibu Bello, a court messenger, faced action for corrupt practices, which included charging unauthorized fees and displaying disrespect towards court users.
“The commission accepted the JPCC’s recommendation, placing a strong warning, and suspended Bello for four months without pay,” Ibrahim mentioned.
These actions emphasize the JSC’s dedication to ensuring integrity within the Kano State Judiciary, according to Ibrahim.
“These measures convey a strong message: misconduct will not be tolerated. All judiciary staff are obliged to adhere to the highest ethical standards,” the statement concluded.
