Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano has accused the Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, of attempting to interfere with the judicial process. The judge made this revelation during a court session on Friday, expressing his determination to uphold justice without being intimidated.
Justice Amobeda raised concerns after spotting the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Kano chapter, Usman Umar Fari, who is also a legal representative for the Anti-Corruption Commission, present in court. Before addressing the day’s business, the judge confronted Fari regarding legal procedures for clients and revealed that Rimin-Gado had filed five petitions against him with the National Judicial Council (NJC).
According to Amobeda, the petitions accused him of passing judgments that went against the interests of the anti-graft commission and of taking seven months to deliver a judgment. However, the judge maintained that all his rulings were based on available facts, not personal interests, and questioned why he was being criticized for decisions supported by five other judges.
Justice Amobeda emphasized that he refused to be swayed by external pressures, stating, "I am not a state high court judge; I am a federal high court judge. I refuse to be intimidated or cowed." He added that dealing with the petitions wasted valuable time he could have used to write judgments.
The judge also criticized the Kano Anti-Corruption Commission for repeatedly disobeying court orders, asserting that the judiciary would not allow the commission’s "small power" to tarnish the justice system. He pointed out that the commission had overstepped its legal boundaries by arresting and detaining individuals without proper authority.
In a firm declaration, Justice Amobeda vowed to continue his work without fear or favoritism, noting, "By the grace of God, I am paid to do this work, and I will do it very well."
Justice Amobeda is known for delivering several significant rulings, including the removal of two sitting Kano State High Court judges and resolving a long-standing dispute between the state government and drug dealers.
Attempts to reach Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado for comment were unsuccessful. However, a lawyer from the Anti-Corruption Commission, speaking anonymously, stated that they would not comment on the matter since it is currently before the NJC.
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