NJC finds Justice Gumi guilty of gross misconduct •Warns another for granting illegal ex parte

The immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi, was found guilty of misconduct by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on Thursday.
Though the expected mass purge of indicted judges did not happen, the council rose from its two-day meeting on Thursday to declare Gummi guilty as charged and warned another judge of the Federal High Court, Justice M. A. Onyetenu, over an illegal exparte order he granted.
The council noted that though Gummi’s offence should have earned him dismissal from service, his decision to quit midway into his tenure had saved him from such disgraceful exit.
Gummi left service controversially to become a second-class Emir at Gummi village in Zamfara.
He is in court, challenging his probe by the council.
A statement issued by council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, read, “the National Judicial Council, at its 63rd Meeting, which was held on 17th and 18th July, 2013, deliberated on the report and recommendation of its committee that investigated the petition forwarded to it by Nestello Gateway Group in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/486/10 against Hon. Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi, former Honourable Chief Judge of High Court of FCT, Abuja.
“At the end of deliberation, Council accepted the findings of its committee that Hon. Justice Gummi, interfered with execution of the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court, Abuja, in the suit between Nestello Gateway Group and Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a former National Assembly member and current Governor of Zamfara State in which execution had already been levied in favour of the petitioner.
Council found the interference by Hon. Justice Gummi in the execution of the judgement as most unethical and highly reprehensible.
“Council also accepted the recommendation of its investigation committee that Hon. Justice Gummi was guilty of gross misconduct contrary to Rule 1(i) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which would have led to his removal from office.
“Council, however, took cognizance of the fact that Hon. Justice Gummi has already voluntarily retired from service and consequently decided not to recommend his removal from office.
“Council decided that henceforth, any similar misconduct by any judicial officer in the federation will be visited with severe sanctions.
“Council also warned Hon. Justice M. A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court for granting  an ex parte order without hearing the pending motion on notice and applications in suit No. FHC/PH/CS/236/2012 between Evangelist Charity O. Akah V. Alpaca Price Nigeria Limited and another.”
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