Senior Lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has hailed the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal barring the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) from prosecuting serving judicial officers without recourse to the National Judicial Council (NJC). This week, an appeal court sitting in Lagos ruled that the EFCC lacked the powers to investigate or prosecute judicial officers except when they have been sanctioned or dismissed by the NJC.
In a statement released on Tuesday titled ‘Kudos to The Judiciary in asserting its Assaulted Independence’, the senior lawyer said the judgment has further established the independence of the judiciary.
“On December 11, 2017, the Court of Appeal, Lagos division, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adejumo Obaseki, quashed the 14 count charge against Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa before the Lagos state High court and ruled that the EFCC does not have the powers to investigate or prosecute serving judicial officers except where they had been first dismissed by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
“I totally support the Court of Appeal in this Landmark judgment that has the effect of clipping the tyrannical claws of the EFCC and its sister agencies in always viewing the judiciary as an annex of the Aso Villa.
“For the records, it is the NJC that has disciplinary control over judges as provided for in section 158 and paragraphs 21 (b) and (d) of the third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as altered. Some commentators have either disagreed with, or supported this decision. I support it. I will give my reasons anon,” he added.
