Justice M. N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos has been queried by the Nigerian Judicial Council, NJC, over allegations of corruption levelled against him by a civil society organisation.
Yunusa is also being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly collecting bribe from Ricky Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
According to the NJC query dated March 16′, 2016 and signed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Council, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the judge is required to respond to the allegations raised by Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, which accuse him of unprofessional conduct, including abuse of power.
“I forward herewith a petition dated 21st December, 2015 against you by Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, on the above subject matter. The petition speaks for itself. I shall be glad to have your comments within 14 days from the date of your receipt of this letter, please,” the query reads.
The civil society organisation had in December 15, 2015 in a petition to the NJC accused Justice Yunusa of scuttling the fight against corruption by granting several injunctions to politically exposed individuals.
According to CSNAC, some of those who benefitted from the judge’s questionable ruling include Mike Adenuga, Stella Odua, Shamsudeen Abogu, among others. It described the injunctions as against the constitutional powers granted the anti-graft agency to prosecute corruption cases.
“The grant of the orders of mandatory and perpetual injunctions by Justice Yunusa against the EFCC is a grave departure from the established principles in the aforementioned cases, as laid down by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal which are binding on the Federal High Court, being a lower court.
“Honourable Justice Yunusa, by the grant of these orders, has stripped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions of its constitutional powers as a law enforcement agency, as well its powers under the enabling law, the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, LFN 2004, a Federal Legislation. It is also a gross abuse of his powers as a judicial officer,” the petition reads.