Judge handling Saraki, Ekweremadu ‘forgery case’ dies

Evoh Chukwu, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja, is dead.

Chukwu presided over the alleged forgery case against Senate President Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president.

Some senators opposed to the leadership of the 8th senate had filed a suit alleging that the senate standing order used for the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu was forged.

According to a statement issued by Emmanuel Gako, the court’s chief registrar, Chukwu died after a brief illness.

The statement said the court has declared Thursday a work free day in honour of the departed judge.

It added that all court registrars had been directed to adjourn cases that were initially slated for hearing on Thursday to ensure total compliance.

The deceased was also handling the trial of Murtala Nyako, former governor of Adamawa state, over allegations of abuse of office and economic crimes by leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The case was recently re-assigned to the deceased judge by Ibrahim Auta, chief judge of the court, justice.

This followed the declining of Adeniyi Ademola, a justice, to give judgment in the matter following an allegation of bias raised by the Ekweremadu.

Chukwu was born on August 24, 1964 in Afikpo north local government area (LGA) of Ebonyi state and was appointed a judge of the court on January 23, 2008.