NJC retires erring judges, recommends Bulkachuwa as Appeal Court head

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the hasty retirement of two of its officers to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement issued by the NJC yesterday, the decision to recommend the compulsory retirement from office of Hon. Justice Gladys .K. Olotu of the Federal High Court and Hon. Justice Ufot .A. Inyang of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja respectively was based on gross misconduct.

According to the statement, “Hon. Justice G.K. Olotu was recommended for compulsory retirement from office to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, pursuant to the “findings” by the council on the allegations of failure to deliver judgments contrary to the Constitutional Provisions that judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days as well as entertained a post judgment matter”.

While Hon. Justice Inyang’s sins according to the NJC were: “the inclusion in his judgment, references to the Garnishee Proceedings, which came after the judgment had been delivered, and that Justice Inyang recklessly signed a Writ of Execution, a day after delivering his judgment of 20th December, 2011, the same day a Notice of Appeal and Motion on Notice for Stay of Execution were filed among other sundry allegations.”

“In the meantime, the National Judicial Council has in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, suspended the two judges from office with immediate effect.”
The NJC also recommended Justice Bulkachuwa was to the President as the substantive President of the Appeal Court.