NJC Sacks Cross River Judge

Due to alleged judicial misconduct, Justice B. T. Ebuta of the High Court of Justice, Cross River State was on Friday suspended by the National Judicial Council, NJC, from office. The NJC in a statement said the suspension is with immediate effect. The council added that the suspended Justice Ebuta should remain at home pending Governor Ben Ayade’s approval of its recommendation for him to be sent on a compulsory retirement. The council presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed arrived at the decision after its 76th meeting which held in Abuja on June, 1st and 2nd. In the statement signed by the Acting Director of Information at the NJC, Soji Oye, “Hon. Justice B. T. Ebuta was recommended for compulsory retirement from Office to the Governor of Cross River State, sequel to the findings by the Council on the allegations of abuse of Judicial power, suppression and illegal/forceful takeover of a property in Calabar as contained in the petition written against him by Dr. (Mrs) Ekanem Cobham who alleged:- “That Hon. Justice B.T. Ebuta made an order based on an Ex-parte Application without sitting in Court. “That Hon. Justice B.T. Ebuta granted the said Ex-parte Application to unseal her property which was sealed on the order of a Magistrate Court when her tenant, Mr Ugochukwu Chijioke failed to pay rent for two years. “She stated that she filed Suit No MC/RT/12/6/14 at the Magistrate Court, Calabar against her tenant for failing to pay her rent and judgement was delivered in her favour on 10th November 2014.”