Judiciary Workers to Face Sanctions for Corruption

Tobi Soniyi

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, has said that  the ongoing sanitisation process in the judiciary will not be limited to judges alone but would be extended to support staff in the sector.

Justice Mukhtar stated this  Monday in a keynote address at a workshop organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for  librarians working in the judiciary.

The workshop has as its theme: "The challenges facing court librarians in information and communication technology age."

“Let me quickly add that the fight against corruption in the judiciary is not only targeted at  judicial officers but also against any member of staff of the judiciary who finds luxury or convenience in engaging in corrupt practices or engaged in any other unwholesome conduct.

"Therefore, if any of you compromises himself or herself or contravenes the code of conduct, he/she will face the full consequences of his or her action.

"Any judicial staff that works hard and conducts himself well will be rewarded, but deviant, fraudulent and indolent ones may become irrelevant in our drive for a virile judicial system," she added.

The CJN, represented by Justice Olu Ariwoola of the Supreme Court, reminded the participants that they were bound by the code of conduct for courts' employees.

She warned court support staff to desist from unethical and corrupt conduct even as she said anyone found wanting would be punished.

The CJN also regretted the impact of poor funding on the quality of services rendered by the nation's court system.

She called for enhanced funding and continuous human capacity development to enable  courts attain the level of competence and effectiveness experienced in developed climes.

She noted that it was necessary for state and Federal Government to adequately fund the courts to enable them acquire necessary materials for standard libraries.

"As a result of poor funding, both the quality and quantity of their acquisitions are not current. This ought not to be so, when courts of most other countries have gone steps further to e-libraries.

"Our courts must not be denied of the requisite excellent learning facilities in order to be able to discharge their duties diligently and expeditiously. Our court libraries must be stocked with current law reports and relevant reading materials like law journals and other periodicals," she said.
NJI's Administrator, Justice Umaru Eri, said the workshop was informed by the institute's commitment to improving the quality of court library staff.

He observed that in view of the growing complication and modernisation in library management, it was imperative for court libraries in the country to be manned by well-trained and competent hands

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/judiciary-workers-to-face-sanctions-for-corruption/150726/