NJC suspends pension judge for 12 months

Justice Abubakar Talba

The National Judicial Council has suspended Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court from office for 12 months without pay.

According to a statement by its spokesperson, Soji Oye, the council also warned Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, who is to retire from service on May 18.

Justice Talba’s suspension followed the recommendation of a fact-finding panel that investigated allegations against him in his handling of a police pension case involving an Assistant Director in the Police Pension Office, Mr. John Yusuf.

Rising from its meeting held on April 24 and 25, the NJC concluded that Justice Talba did not exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously with regard to the sentences he passed on Yusuf.

The NJC at its emergency meeting held on February 20, 2013, set up a fact finding committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Justice Talba.

The council, however, observed that the charges that had been brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Mr. John Y. Yusuf in the first charge sheet containing counts 1 to 10 under Section 315 of the Penal Code that provides a maximum jail term of 14 years and a fine, were dropped by the EFCC counsel and substituted with another charge with only three counts under Section 309 of the Penal Code that gives a lesser punishment of two years’ imprisonment with or without an option of fine.

 The NJC, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, also issued a serious warning to Justice Talba to desist from unreasonable exercise of judicial discretion in all matters brought before him.

On the various petitions written against Justice Okeke, the council considered his responses and decided to seriously warn him.

Justice Talba sentenced Yusufu to two years in jail after pleading guilty to three counts in the N32.8bn police pension fraud. The jail term was to run concurrently.

The judge, however, gave the convict an option of N250,000 fine for each of the three counts. The sentence sparked negative criticisms of the judge throughout the nation.

PUNCH