NJC recommends retirement of Taraba CJ for ‘suppressing judgment’

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of Filibus Bitrus Andetur, the chief judge of Taraba high court.

The NJC said Andetur was recommended for retirement based on the findings of an investigative committee in respect of a petition written against him by Senator Muhammed Sanusi Dagash.

The judge was accused of failing to deliver judgement in Suit No: TRSJ/134/17 between Mallam Kassim Yahaya Ahmad vs Shittu Wurmo & Shuwari Farms Limited 30 months after the adoption of final addresses by the parties.

In a statement issued on Friday, Soji Oye, NJC director of information, said the judge’s retirement is with immediate effect

“Council after deliberation found that the Hon. Chief Judge breached the provisions of S.294(1) of the Constitution and therefore recommended him for compulsory retirement with immediate effect to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State,” the statement reads.

“In the interim, the Council in exercise of its disciplinary powers under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, is suspending Hon. Justice Andetur from office pending his compulsory retirement. He is to hand over to the next most senior Judge in the State.”

The judicial council also set up a panel to investigate four judicial officers over petitions filed against them.

“Council considered the Report of one of its Complaints Assessment Committees and agreed with the Committee’s recommendation to empanel four Committees to further investigate four of the seven petitions forwarded to it, and dismissed three others,” the NJC said.

“One of the three was dismissed for being subjudice and the remaining two were dismissed because the Judicial Officers had retired from service, and by virtue of Rule 18(2) (h) of the National Judicial Council Judicial Discipline Regulations 2017, the Respondent Judicial Officers are no longer under the disciplinary control of the Council.”

The NJC also recommended the appointment of six heads of court and five judges of the Plateau state high court.