Judge cleared by NJC faces fresh corruption charges

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A few days after he was recalled to his position on the bench, corruption charges have been filed against a Federal High Court judge.

Hydiazira Nganjiwa was recalled by the National Judicial Council, NJC, six months after he and seven other judges were suspended over allegations of corruption.

Six of the eight suspended judges were recalled with the other recalled judges being John Okoro of the Supreme Court, Uwani Aji of the Court of Appeal, Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court, and Agbadu James Fishim of National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

‎The judges were suspended in November 2016 after a raid on their homes by the State Security Service, but were asked to resume after the NJC meetings of May 31 and June 1.

They were asked to resume duties on June 7 after the NJC said anti-graft and security agencies had failed to establish cases of corruption against them.

On June 8, however, the EFCC filed a 14-count charge against Mr. Nganjiwa, accusing him of unlawful enrichment (13 counts) and “making ‎false information to an officer of the EFCC” (one count).

The judge was accused of receiving $144,000, $102,000 and other such sums, monies the anti-graft agency said he could not “reasonably explain.”

On the same day charges were filed against Mr. Nganjiwa, the EFCC also filed charges against another judge, Mohammed Yunusa.

In the four-count charge, the anti-graft agency accused Mr. Yunusa of receiving money from two senior advocates, Rickey Tarfa and Joseph Nwobike.

He was also accused of attempting to pervert justice by “engaging in constant private and confidential telephone communications” with Mr. Tarfa.

Mr. Tarfa is being prosecuted separately for his alleged roles in giving money to the two judges.