Constitutional lawyer and respected legal expert, Itse Sagay, has expressed deep concern over accusations of corruption within the judiciary and the unsettling trend of contradictory judgments from courts of the same jurisdiction.
In an interview with The Sun, Professor Itse Sagay highlighted the pressing issue of indiscipline among judges, emphasizing the need for immediate attention and resolution. He articulated his dismay at instances where judges, of equal standing, deliver conflicting judgments on similar cases.
Sagay, a professor of Law, called for decisive action, urging the President of the Court of Appeal to enforce measures that would streamline the judicial process. He specifically advocated for cases to be filed in the area where the event occurred, preventing the potential influence of opponents bribing judges.
He said, “That is indiscipline among the judges. If a court has already decided a case and that court is of the same rank, there should be no reason for the judge to give another judgment contrary to it. The case should go up to a higher court. How can you have a case in Owerri and then you go to Kano to file at a Federal High Court in Kano and Law law says all Federal High Courts are equal. That should not be allowed. For that, I blame the President of Court of Appeal, because if she had put her foot down that all matters should be dispensed in places where the event occurred, it will stop.
“You have an election matter in Port Harcourt, you rush to Kano to go and file another case and the Kano court seeing such oddity will still accept to allow the case to go on. This is indiscipline among the judiciary and it shouldn’t be allowed. I think the President of the court should insist that all cases be filed in the area where the event occurred. She should issue a directive that all cases must be tried in the jurisdiction within which it occurred and not taken outside such jurisdiction. Things like this are leading to corruption where you go and buy the judge far away, and your opponent will go to another place to look for another judge to buy. It must not be allowed to continue.”
