Magistrates, Judicial Staff Sanctioned Over Misconduct

No fewer than eight judiciary staff members including Magistrates have been sanctioned by the Kano State Judicial Service Commission, JSC, over gross misconduct.

The disciplinary actions were taken against the erring staff in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Kano State Judiciary, Mr Baba Jibo-Ibrahim, on Sunday in Kano.

“The Judicial Service Commission at its 76th meeting held on November 4, considered petitions against the Judiciary staff and ordered two court registrars on compulsory retirement.

”Those sanctioned are Magistrates Nasir Ado, Alkali Yusuf Kawu, Sanusi Usman-Atana, and Finance Registrar Salisu Adamu-Nayola.

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“Others are Alkali Abdulmuminu Nuhu, Alkali Abubakar Abdullahi, Court messenger Shuaibu Bello, and Shamsu Abbas, Court registrar,” the JSC said.

The commission said an investigation by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee, JPCC, in respect of two petitions filed against Nasir Ado, revealed that he conducted proceedings without a record and when asked, he falsified and tampered with the record to show that there was a record of the proceeding.

The commission adopted the recommendation of the JPCC, which recommended that Ado’s actions of tampering with court records constituted gross misconduct and accordingly recalled him from judicial duties.

He said that the commission also issued a warning to Magistrate Sanusi Atana, following two petitions against him, where he was found to have assumed the role of recovery of premises in a criminal trial and granted bail to a suspect before the date slated for ruling without notifying the prosecution.

He said the JSC further directed the compulsory retirement of Salisu Adamu Nayola, Finance Registrar of Kiru Sharia Court, following a JPCC investigation that confirmed he accepted bribes to process inheritance entitlements.

The JSC also issued a strong warning to Alkali Abubakar Abdullahi of Takai Sharia Court Kano, for handling Sabo Garba Housing Estate, Kabuga, and Dorayi Kwanar Makabarta distribution case outside his jurisdiction.

The commission advised him to strictly adhere to his territorial limits and avoid handling cases outside his jurisdiction.

He added that after an investigation by the JPCC on the petition filed against a court messenger, Shuaibu Bello, he was found to have engaged in acts of corruption by collecting money in excess of the official amount charged for opening a file.

The JSC also imposed compulsory retirement on Shamsu Abbas, a court registrar for releasing a suspect on bail without the case being officially assigned to any court, as well as making an order for the suspect to make financial restitution beyond his official duties.