Anti-corruption courts deliver 324 judgements in seven months

Soji Oye, director of information of the National Judicial Council (NJC), says the special anti-corruption courts have delivered judgments in 324 cases.

This, he said, has taken place since the courts were set up in November 2017.

In a statement released on Sunday, the director said the courts struck out 12 cases and reserved 62 for judgment.

He said the figures were sourced from the report submitted to the council on corruption and financial crime cases trials monitoring committee (COTRIMCO).

The committee is headed by Suleiman Galadima, a retired judge of the Supreme Court.

Oye said Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), inaugurated the committee to determine the causes of slow pace of corruption and financial crimes cases.

“Prior to the formation of the committee, the chief justice had directed the heads of court, at a special session of the supreme court to mark the commencement of the 2017/2018 legal year, to designate the special courts.

“These courts are solely for the purpose of hearing and speedy determination of corruption and financial crime cases.

“Of the total number of 324 judgments delivered, the supreme court, in zone A, delivered 52 judgments and reserved seven cases for judgments from the list of 125 cases pending before it, leaving an outstanding number of 73 cases.

“The court of appeal, Abuja division, within the period, also disposed of 74 appeals and reserved 11 for judgments from the list of 137 cases in its docket.”