An upper Sharia Court judge in Borno State, Alkali Goni Mukhtar has been sacked for his involvement in a criminal act.
Mr Mukhtar had been involved in fraudulent sale of landed property.
According to Sahara Reporters, his sack was made known by the Borno State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in a statement signed by its secretary, Baba Goni Adam.
The sacked judge, who was recently promoted to Judge of Upper Sharia Court in Mobbar, Damasak Local government, committed the crime when he was the judge of Gamboru Sharia court in Maiduguri.
A petition titled, ‘Complaint against Activities of Gamboru Sharia Court Judge Alkali Goni Mukhtar‘, had been filed on June 2, 2010 by one Buji Magumeri, now a retired civil servant against the judge to the office of the Chief Judge of Borno State, Kashim Zanna. The petition accused the now sacked judge of being involved in illicit acts that shortchanged ‘real owners of a land in dispute, when it was brought to his court.
On June 3rd, the Chief Judge of the state was said to have referred the case to the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee (JPCC), whose duty it is to handle such complaints.
After investigation was carried out by the investigative committee, the accused judge was found guilty and they had recommended to the Judicial Service Commission to sack him. The judge had pleaded for “leniency,” a plea that was reportedly considered as an admittance of his guilt when he appeared before the JSC.
For his misconduct, he was retired with little fanfare by the JSC, effective immediately from the 11th day of June, 2014.