CSEP Petitions NJC Over Alleged Age Falsification by Imo State Judges
The Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP ), a Coalition of Civil Society Groups, has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over age falsification allegations against Judges of the Imo State Judiciary.
In a copy of the letter made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja by the Executive Secretary of the Coalition, Comrade Onyebuchi Emmanuel, CSEP detailed allegations against judges of Imo State Judiciary.
In the letter addressed to the NJC Chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria, CSEP alleged that 18 judges falsified their ages at various times so as to secure appointment into the judiciary and to gain undue advantage.
“The Civil Society Engagement Platform CSEP, a powerful coalition of leading civil rights activists in Nigeria has unearthed an unprecedented age falsification scandal of an alarming proportion in the Imo State Judiciary.
“This is at a level never seen before in Nigeria, involving a whooping 18 Judges of Imo State Judiciary; unbelievable!
“Your lordship may recall that CSEP; through its diligent and painstaking covert operations, exposed the former Chief Judge of Imo State. Hon. Justice Chikeka for the same crime of age falsification.
“We followed up with a petition to the NJC and she was eventually sacked after due process was followed.
“We hereby demand action on this petition so as to save the Judiciary from continued ridicule as a result of the presence of certain Judges who are (allegedly) known to have falsified their ages and still parade themselves as Judges.
“We are confident that you are one person who will not allow the Judiciary to be brought to ridicule,” the letter read.
The spokesperson of the state judiciary could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
This is not the first time the NJC is been asked to beam its searchlight on activities of states’ judiciary, as it has dealt with numerous cases involving age falsification by judges.
For instance, in September 2016, the council announced the compulsory retirement of two of the High Court judges of Niger State over age falsification.
Also, in April 2020, the NJC sacked a judge of the Imo State High Court following the falsification of date of birth from 1950 to 1958. The council said findings showed that he was supposed to have retired in November 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.
The council also sacked a judge of the Yobe State High Court for falsifying his age on two occasions. He was said to have declared February 1, 1955, and later August 27, 1955.
He later declared December 30, 1959. He was supposed to retire on February 1, 2020, by virtue of his declared date of birth of February 1, 1955.
Similarly, the council found an Osun State High Court judge to have falsified his date of birth from September 3, 1955, to Sept 1957.
In all the cases, the NJC advised the state governments to deduct from the gratuity of the judges all salaries received in the period they ought not to be in service and remit to the public purse.
