By Peter Omopo
The Jigawa State Judicial Service Commission has compulsorily retired a Shari’a Court Judge over allegations of corruption and illegal detention.
The decision was reached at the Commission’s 181st meeting held in Dutse, the state capital, following a review of a petition and findings from an investigation.
The retired judge, Alkali Sadisu Muhammad Haruna, was found guilty after a petition was filed by Abdullahi Hamza. According to the Commission, investigations revealed that the judge demanded and collected fees not recognised under the schedule of court fees provided in the Jigawa State Shari’a Court Civil Procedure Rules (2012).
The Commission stated that the act amounted to extortion and was compounded by the illegal detention of the petitioner, describing the conduct as a gross violation of judicial ethics and an abuse of office.
It noted that the misconduct represented a serious breach of public trust and undermined the integrity of the judiciary. The compulsory retirement, the Commission said, serves as a warning that corruption and abuse of power will not be tolerated within the state’s judicial system.
In a related development, the Commission approved the promotion of more than 80 staff members across various cadres. The promotions were based on merit, years of service and performance assessments.
The Commission also approved new appointments within the State Shari’a Court of Appeal. Aliyu Muhammad was appointed Deputy Chief Registrar I (Administration), Abdulrashid Alhassan as Deputy Chief Registrar II (Litigation), Isma’il Sani as Chief Inspector of Shari’a Courts, Umar Mallam as Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Muhammad Lawan as Director of Personnel Management, and Kabiru Isyaku Gwaram as Deputy Chief Inspector.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to upholding integrity, transparency and efficiency in the judiciary, assuring the public of continued efforts to sanitise the system and ensure compliance with established laws and regulations.
