Borno: Shari'ah court judge quits over corruption

The Borno State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has retired an upper Sharia Court judge, Justice Alkali Goni Mukhtar, after he was found guilty of aiding in the criminal sale of a land in his court.

His untimely retirement followed a petition by ione Buji Mustapha Magumeri had filed a petition against the judge over what he called Mukhtar's unbecoming conduct on June 2, 2010.

The petition it was learnt, addressed to the office of the state Chief Judge, Justice Kashim Zanna, accused Justice Mukhtar of involving in illicit acts that short-changed the real owner of the land in dispute when it was brought to his court.

Justice Zanna had on the June 3, 2010, referred the case to the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee (JPCC), whose duty is to handle such complaints.

After an investigation that lasted about four years, the committee found the judge wanting and recommended his sack to the JSC.

Justice Mukhtar was said to have been invited by the commission to defend himself, but he rather pleaded for leniency.

A ruling, contained in a statement by the JSC, signed by its secretary, Baba Goni Adam, at the end of the commission's sitting on Wednesday, axed the embattled judge.

'The Borno State JSC considered the report of the JPCC which investigated a petition against Alkali Goni Mukhtar, an Upper Sharia Court judge.

 'The commissioner accepted the report that the judge used his office to engage in a land transaction, unbecoming of the office of a judge. For this misconduct, the JSC has compulsorily retired Alkali Goni Mukhtar with effect from the 11th day of June, 2014,' the statement read.