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Katsina-Alu decries corruption, tasks judges on graft cases
- By Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja - posted on Tuesday 9th March 2010 C HIEF Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Iyorgher Katsina-Alu, yesterday urged judicial officers to rise up to the challenge of ridding the nation of corruption and other economic crimes by fast-tracking trial of such matters brought before them.
Katsina-Alu noted that corruption has had a crippling effect on the nation's economy, especially the wellbeing of its citizens and advocated judicial intervention in arresting the scourge.
"Economic and financial crimes as well as corruption have become the norm in our society, looming large like a hydra-headed monster, ready to destroy the very fabric of society," the CJN lamented.
He charged Nigerians to "join hands in the campaign for zero tolerance on economic crime and corruption. We must fight this menace to surrender; the fight should not be left in the hands of the anti-corruption agencies alone. Every citizen should be involved."
On how the Judiciary can intervene in the battle against corruption, Katsina-Alu said: "One sure way the Judiciary can contribute in this fight is by treating with dispatch cases related to economic crimes and corruption brought before them for adjudication."
He said in view of the daunting challenge that corruption and financial crimes cases pose to the country, "judges must be adequately equipped by way of training and capacity building as well as provision of modern tools to be able to perform their duties as expected of them by the public."
Katsina-Alu noted that "most of the economic/financial crimes and corruption cases are high profile case often involving politically exposed person. Yet, judges must be courageous and firm, but fair in discharging their duties in that regard."
The CJN urged judges to shun corruption and remain faithful to their oath of office.
His words: "You must shun corruption and avoid all forms of corrupt practices and misconduct. You have your oath of office, the Code of Conduct of Public officers as well as the Code of Conduct of Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to guide you."
Katsina-Alu also warned against issuance of indiscriminate exparte injunctions, saying the embarrassment such injunctions have caused the judiciary over the years were avoidable.
For emphasis, he referred to Rule 2 (a) (ii) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which provides that "a judicial officer must avoid the abuse of power of issuing interim injunctions ex-parte."
He warned that "the National Judicial Council is ever at alert to its responsibility should any judicial officer fall foul of the rule. It is advisable to stay on the side of caution."
News Source: Guardian
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