The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), has spoken of a judge whom he said was fond of asking lawyers for financial assistance.
Prof. Sagay described the said judge as a ‘common beggar’ in his closing remarks at a conference on “Promoting International Cooperation in Combating Illicit Financial Flows and Enhancing Asset Recovery to Foster Sustainable Development” in Abuja, on Wednesday.
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The law professor did not disclose the judge’s name.
However, from his presentation it was obvious he was referring to one of the six judges accused of corruption, and were recently recalled from suspension by the National Judicial Council.
He said, “There are so many judges now who demand money from lawyers or accept money from them. I know a judge who will come to you today and say: ‘My mother died, please send money to me’. Lawyers will send N200,000 to him. The next day, he’d say: ‘My daughter is getting married’. Another day: ‘My uncle has been made a chief; we’re contributing.
“Nobody in the judicial hierarchy will deny that these judges exist. And one of them is among those going back now. He has collected money from hundreds of lawyers. And everybody knows this.
“Should that person be on the Bench? He has desecrated the Bench; he has brought it down; he’s a common beggar, who is ready to compromise his position if you give him money on the excuse of burying his father.
“That man has millions of naira and dollars in his account already accumulated through this means. People like that are being asked to go back.”
