Muslim Rights Concern asks critics to leave federal government prosecute Justice Onnoghen

ISLAMIC group Muslim Rights Concern (Muric) has lashed out at those criticising the federal government for seeking to try the chief justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen over false asset declarations saying they should allow prosecutors do their jobs.

Over the last week, Justice Onnoghen has been involved in intense political jockeying with the government that involved him being charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Late last week, Justice Onnoghen was reportedly suspended from office over claims that he falsely declared his assets.

He was subsequently asked to appear before the CCT on Monday but shunned the invitation, prompting the government to postpone his arraignment until next week Tuesday when he will face a six-count charge before a three man panel. Later that same Monday, an Abuja high court granted an injunction preventing the authorities from continuing with the prosecution until several substantive suits were heard.

About 150 senior advocates of Nigeria have agreed to appear on behalf of Justice Onnoghen, claiming that the attend to prosecute him is an attack on the independence of the judiciary. Justice Onnoghen is accused of not properly declaring his assets but political opponents have claimed the charges are trumped up by the government to get him replaced with elections looming next month.

However, Muric has hit back at these critics, asking Justice Onnoghen’s sympathisers to allow the federal government to handle the case now before it infects the whole system. Muric director Professor Ishaq Akintola said judicial corruption fuels impunity and it is the worst type of corruption because that is where everyone goes when the system is corrupt.

He added: “Any nation whose judicial system is led by corrupt judges is sitting on the precipice, so judicial corruption should not be tolerated in any sane society. It corrodes the rule of law and it is a cancerous tumour in any nation’s anatomy and any surgeon worth his salt will not hesitate to amputate a cancerous part of the body in order to save the rest.

“Judicial corruption enthrones corrupt politicians in political offices and it robs hardworking, honest and credible politicians of well-deserved victory at the polls. Judicial corruption is the deadliest enemy of democracy as it debilitates the rule of law, renders equal rights unattainable and puts asunder any dream of an egalitarian society."

Professor Akintola said a corrupt judiciary poses the most potent threat to crime fighters like policemen, anti-corruption agencies, anti-graft activists, human rights activists, etc. He added that the efforts of these patriotic elements who put their lives on the line for the sake of society will be in vain if the judiciary is corrupt.

"Corrupt judges frustrate the efforts of crime fighters and a corrupt judiciary emboldens criminals and corrupt people as they always know that they can bribe their way out in court. Nobody can wipe out corruption where the judiciary itself is enmeshed in dirty deals, so it is like pouring water inside a basket in an attempt to fill it up.

"That is why Muric is sounding this note of warning and asking that we allow the federal government to handle the case of the chief justice now before it infects the whole system. Something is wrong with us as a people if we want to defend a chief judge who made five different cash deposits of $10,000 each into Standard Chartered Bank Account 1062650 on  March 8, 2011, made two separate cash deposits of $5000 each on June 7, 2011, followed by four cash deposits of $10,000 each on the same day.

"Again on June 27, 2011, Justice Onnoghen made another set of five separate cash deposits of $10,000 each and made four more cash deposits of $10,000 each on the following day, June, 28 2011. Are the rest of us who are poor Nigerians created to shine his shoes and lick his boots?" He added.

Professor Akintola said that Muric was concerned because even if all public office holders are accumulating wealth unjustly, the chief judge of the land must be above board like Caesar’s wife. He added: "Muric is concerned because Islam abhors materialism.

"What is a judge doing with so much money when 80m fellow citizens are wallowing in abject penury? Can we take any accumulated wealth to the grave? Do we know when our time will be up? Where are those before us who stole all the milk and honey in the land?"