The Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho said that the Court disapproved current pervading attitude of some lawyers, litigants and public commentators launching attacks in the media against judges and their decisions.
He said that those publicly criticizing judges and decisions of the court know where to vent their disagreements by appealing the decisions, but they choose to ridicule the system.
Though he did not specifically give instances, but in recent times, however, Federal High Court’s Judgements on the Rivers State political crisis, Emir of Kano legal tussle and pre local government election judgements have generated bitter arguments that led to the pointing of accusing fingers on some judges in certain quarters .
Justice Tsoho gave the warning on Monday at commencement of Federal High Court 2024/2025 new legal year.He.said “the ugly trend must be halted , if the Judiciary is to survive,”
“This is a task for well-meaning members of the legal profession,
owe their lives to the profession. For the greedy and shameless renegades however, the collapse of the legal profession itself will not make any difference, as they would readily survive by touting.
“At this juncture, we call on the Nigerian Bar Association to scrutinise its ranks and uproot the misfits, who are causing incalculable damage to the legal profession.
“We wish to further draw attention that there are extant laws that can be called in aid to check the malicious tendency. Both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code provide punishment for malicious or injurious falsehood.
“For lawyers, the Rules of Professional Conduct can apply. On the part of Judges, there is crying need to revive exercise of the power of contempt to protect the integrity of their persons and the Courts. Their reluctance to employ this potent weapon should not be seen as a sign of ignorance or cowardice,” he stated.
Justice Tsoho said that a statement of situation where the legally recognised means of challenging Court decisions is being increasingly sidelined in favour of approach by mob-mentality is dangerous and worrisome.
” It is more so, as those promoting it are not well-informed, but act in concert with some disgruntled lawyers. It is very sad that certain lawyers, with a few senior lawyers among them, have willingly offered themselves as errand boys to some politicians to malign Judges.
According to him, “they secretly seek to influence Judges, but hypocritically turn round to condemn Judges, when their clandestine overtures to Judges are rebuffed. In such situations, their supposition is that the Judge must have been compromised by the opponent.
“They merely appear sanctimonious, while levelling unfounded allegations of bribery against Judges, in
humongous sums of money. None of them has ever proven such allegations, but nevertheless, succeed in inciting the gullible society against the maligned Judges.
” It is bad enough that they mostly use faceless media platforms to orchestrate their malicious campaigns. They publicly advertise their ignorance by vociferously calling for the immediate ‘sack’ of Judicial Officers, as if the officers are mere domestic staff.
“They are oblivious that the appointment of Judicial Officers has statutory flavour and they cannot be removed, unless there is proven case of serious misconduct.”