A Federal high court Judge in Kano, Justice Simon Amobeda has threatened to expose Chairman Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado’s attempt to influence a cause of justice under his jurisdiction.
Justice Amobeda also vowed to remain resolute in dispensing judgment and resist any intimidation.
The jurist raised the alarm on Friday at an open court session when he sighted the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kano chapter Usman Umar Fari, who also doubles as a legal counsel for the state Anti-Corruption Commission.
Justice Amobeda before attending to the business of the day, confronted Fari with questions on legal procedures required of a client.
The Judge revealed how the Chairman of Kano anti-graft filed 5 petitions before the National Judicial Council, NJC against him.
According to Amobeda, the petitions accused him of passing a judgment against the interest of Kano anti-graft while taking seven months to deliver judgment.
But the Judge insisted his verdicts were passed not in the interest of any party but based on facts available to him.
He wondered why he would be made to respond to petitions on matters that were decided by five Judges against the anti-graft.
Justice Amobeda said he was petitioned “simply because he refused to be influenced”, and subsequently declared that ” I am not a state high court Judge, I am a Federal high court Judge. And God has brought me here, I refuse to be intimidated or cowed”.
According to him, ” If there is anything I gained in Kano, it is the fact that I answered five petitions from a single person. I don’t have anything to say about it but in reply, it wasted my precious time that I would have used to write my judgment.
” I delivered a landmark Judgment on the relocation of Sabon Gari drug market, I can’t count the amount of influence I refused. The Minister of Health came to Kano after the Judgment to meet with the Governor on the same issue. Nobody has ever told Amobeda you have done well but it is the one that did not favour them that they will go over the social media to blackmail.
” But by the grace of God, I am paid to do this work and I will do it very well, without fear or favour or ill will. All of us are answerable to God Almighty. If the case does not favor you today it will favor you tomorrow. That is the essence of life.
Amobeda accused the Kano anti-graft boss of disobeying several orders of the court and insisted that the Judiciary will not allow the “small power” of the Ombudsman to bring disrepute to the Justice system.
” In the petition, he said I have power to judge against the agency, yes when you exceed your powers. Your law does not envisage that you arrest somebody, detain and grant him bail. Why can’t you go to the state assembly to amend the law?
” You created a department that is so empowered to breach the fundamental rights of the people of Kano. You have disobeyed the orders of the court several times. Because we are keeping quiet, you think you can continue to disgrace the system.
” Because you hold a small power today you want to use it against everybody including the Judiciary. I am not a Judge of the state high court, I am a Federal high court Judge and God has brought me here.
“I refused to be intimidated or cowed. Nobody can shake me. I have the resolution to this job and I will do it very well to the best of my ability,” Amobeda insisted.
Justice Amobeda is well known for several landmark Judgments including the sack of two serving Judges of Kano State High Court, who were sitting on two Judicial panels of enquiries and settled the dispute between the government and the Drug dealers after several years of litigation.
However, our Correspondent’s efforts to speak to the Chairman of the Commission, Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado were not successful but a lawyer at the Anti-Graft Agency who spoke anonymously said they could not comment because the case is before the NJC.
“We will not comment on this matter because it is before the National Judicial Council and it is only they or their assigned agent who can talk on it”, he added.