Judge threatens to denounce Kano mediator following serial petitions against him

A judge of the Federal High Court, Kano, Justice Simon Amobeda has threatened to expose the attempt by the Chairman of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, to influence a matter of justice within his jurisdiction. jurisdiction.

Justice Amobeda also pledged to remain committed to delivering judgment and resist any intimidation.

The jurist raised the alarm on Friday during a public hearing when he spotted the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kano Chapter, Usman Umar Fari, who doubles as legal advisor to the State Anti-Corruption Commission.

Justice Amobeda, before handling the day’s business, confronted Fari with questions about the legal procedures required of a client.

The judge revealed how the chairman of the Kano Anti-Corruption Association filed 5 petitions against him before the National Judicial Council (NJC).

According to Amobeda, the petitions accused him of rendering a judgment contrary to Kano’s anti-corruption interests when it took seven months to deliver his judgment.

But the judge insisted his verdicts were made not in the interests of any party but on the basis of the facts available to him.

He wondered why he would be forced to respond to petitions on issues decided by five anti-corruption judges.

Justice Amobeda said he was seized “simply because he refused to be influenced”, and then said: “I am not a judge of the State High Court, I am a judge of the Federal High Court. And God brought me here, I refuse to be intimidated or intimidated.”

According to him, “If there is anything I gained in Kano, it is the fact that I responded to five petitions from one person. I have nothing to say on that but in response, it wasted valuable time that I would have used to write my judgment.

“I made a historic judgment on the relocation of the Sabon Gari drug market, I cannot count the influence I refused. The Minister of Health came to Kano after the judgment to meet the governor on the same issue. No one ever told Amobeda that you did well, but it is the one who did not favor him that he will use social media to blackmail.

“But by the grace of God, I am paid to do this job and I will do it very well, without fear or favor or ill will. We are all accountable to Almighty God. If the matter does not favor you today, it will favor you tomorrow. It is the essence of life.

Amobeda accused the Kano anti-corruption chief of disobeying several court orders and insisted that the judiciary will not allow the “small power” of the ombudsman to discredit the justice system.

“In the petition it says I have the power to judge against the agency, yes when you exceed your powers. Your law does not provide for you to arrest someone, detain them and grant them bail. Why can’t you go to the State Assembly to change the law?

“You have created a department so empowered to violate the basic rights of the people of Kano. You have repeatedly disobeyed court orders. Because we are silent, you think you can continue to disgrace the system.

“Because you have a little power today, you want to use it against everyone, including the judiciary. I’m not a state high court judge, I’m a federal high court judge and God brought me here.

“I refused to be intimidated or intimidated. Nobody can shake me. I have the resolve to do this job and I will do it very well to the best of my abilities,” Amobeda insisted.

Justice Amobeda is well known for several landmark judgments, including the dismissal of two serving judges of the Kano State High Court, who sat on two judicial commissions of inquiry and which settled the dispute between the government and the drug traffickers after several years of litigation.

However, our correspondent’s efforts to speak to Commission Chairman Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado were unsuccessful, but a lawyer for the Anti-Graft Agency who spoke anonymously said he could not comment because the matter is before the NJC.

“We will not comment on this matter because it is before the National Judicial Council and only they or their designated agent can talk about it,” he added.