Perjury: Justice Salami must go to jail - Group

For lying on oath, which is a criminal offence, a Non Governmental Organisation, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has called for the immediate commencement of prosecution of the President court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

SRLN said in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that; "having lied on oath as established by the National Judicial Council (NJC) probe panel set up to investigate allegations of unethical behaviours against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysious Katsina Alu, President Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami and other justices of the Court of Appeal, Justice Salami no longer have moral rights to continue to hold office as the number two judicial officer in the country.

"From the position of the NJC, Justice Salami lied against the CJN by falsely deposing to an affidavit, that the CJN attempted to influence the election petition appeal in the Sokoto matter.

"This assertion has not only presented Justice Salami as a liar, but he is also a perjurer, someone that cannot be trusted and a public officer whose integrity is questionable.

"Therefore, the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency begin the prosecution of Justice Salami forthwith."

While commending the NJC for the probe, the SRLN said; "Though we expected that appropriate sanctions would be metted to the affected justices, but we are happy that the NJC was bold enough to carry out this all-important self cleansing, with a view to sanitising the judiciary and restoring the hope of the masses."