Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Following the indictment of some judges and lawyers by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged corruption bordering on inducements by litigants, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, has described the scenario as very dangerous to the fight against pilfering of public funds.
Daramola said though cases of persecution against members of the bench and bar must have been suspected, but noted that members of the legal profession must be above board as ministers in the temple of justice, particularly when it comes to the issue of financial inducements.
Some judges of the Supreme Court, including Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro; and Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court in Abuja, among others, were last year October arrested by the DSS for allegedly taking bribes and were subsequently arraigned in court by the federal government.
Daramola spoke in Ado Ekiti Monday at the commencement of the 2017 Law Week organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ado Ekiti Branch.
He was speaking on the topic: ‘Corruption: Origin, Effect and Mechanism for Curtailment’.
The chairman of the branch, Mr. Gbenga Adaramola, refuted the widespread impression that lawyers were not committed to fighting graft, saying the NBA national body recently disrobed 37 lawyers for corrupt practices.
Details later…
