SIX STAFF FIRED FOR LEAKING S/COURT JUDGEMENT

The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) has dismissed six judiciary workers accused of involvement in the leakage of an undelivered judgment of the Supreme Court in May.

The affected staff are Mr Russell Ndenu, Mr Nathaniel Abraham, Mr Olayinka Abiodun, Mr Bada Kayode and Mr Festus Ilurimi of the Supreme Court, as well as Mr Stephen Izonebi of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.

Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that the FJSC considered their act as serious misconduct and therefore fired them.

He said the workers were found through internal and Police investigation to have conspired among themselves and two outsiders to leak out the judgment before it was delivered on May 31, 2013.

The undelivered judgment was leaked in the case of Anambra state politician Senator Alphonsus Uba Igbeke Vs Lady Margery Okadigbo and 3 others.

The FJSC at its meeting held Tuesday approved the dismissal of the judiciary workers over their conduct.

Olorundahunsi said their action ran contrary to Regulation 48 (1)(xi) of the Federal Judicial Service Commission Regulations, Regulation 49 and Regulation 60 (1)(i) and in violation of the Public Service Rule (PSR) Cap 3 section 4 (030401) and (030416).

Meanwhile, the commission has requested the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation to further investigate the motive behind the leakage and possibly take legal action against Senator Igbeke and Mr Collins Okechukwu for allegedly masterminding the leaked of the judgment.

Source: Daily Trust