By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Kogi State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has ordered the compulsory retirement of an Area Court Judge, Alemeru Adekunle Bamidele, for misconduct involving a property under litigation before him.
The decision was taken at the Commission’s 136th meeting held in Lokoja, as disclosed in a statement by the Information Officer of the Kogi State High Court of Justice, Mr. Saeed Saqueeb.
According to the statement, Judge Bamidele was found to have directed the sale of a building that was the subject of a case before his court and subsequently purchased the property himself, failing to make full payment.
In a related development, the JSC also suspended Magistrate Tanimu U. Muhammed from adjudicatory duties for two years and issued him a warning letter.
Magistrate Muhammed was found to have issued a court order without granting a fair hearing to the parties involved.
Meanwhile, several other judicial officers who were under investigation were cleared of wrongdoing.
They include Magistrate Abdul Musa Mopah, Mr. Yunusa Medugu, Deborah O. Ebiloma Esq., and Anuhi Safiya Oiza.
The Commission found the allegations against them to be baseless.
The JSC noted that all allegations were first reviewed by its Disciplinary Committee, which made the appropriate recommendations to the Commission.
The Commission then constituted a six-member committee to explore ways of improving the welfare of Magistrates and Area Court Judges in the state.
The committee is chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Abdullah (SAN).
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
