The Osun State House of Assembly, on Friday, adopted the report of its Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions, which investigated allegations contained in petitions against the Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo.
The committee, led by Kanmi Ajibola, the member representing Oriade State Constituency, had reported its findings to the assembly at the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Adewale Egbedun.
Before presenting the report, Ajibola stated that the petitioners were invited based on their testimonies. According to him, the Acting Chief Registrar, Isola Omisade; Deputy Director of Finance, Toyin Akinbola, Niyi Fakokunde, the Principal Registrar, Nureni Adelakin; and the Director of Finance and Accounts, Araoye Abubakar, were compelled to appear after they refused to honour the subpoena earlier served on them.
The lawmaker added that Justice Ojo was also invited, but she did not appear, while another judge in the state, Justice Olamide Oloyede, was invited as well, but refused to honour the invitation, on the grounds that the house had not sought and got the permission of the National Judicial Council for her to appear.
In course of its investigation, Ajibola said two sets of petitioners that were judicial staff appeared before it and testified on how they were suspended by the Chief Judge, investigated, prosecuted in the court and freed by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and were still made to remit their salaries totalling about N7m by hand to a designated officer on the order of the CJ.
Ajibola further stated that the e-affidavit was introduced in 2022 by the Chief Judge, noting that its management was awarded to a consultant without the approval of the state government, and without a Memorandum of Understanding, or the involvement of the Osun Internal Revenue Service.
He further said, “Expectedly the revenue sharing arrangement of the scheme was skewed against the Government of Osun State. An audit query was issued from the office of the Auditor General of the state in 2022, directing that the procedure be halted; yet, the query was neither answered, nor the directive complied with. Meanwhile, the consultant continued to conduct his business on the unilateral approval and authority of the chief judge.
“The proceeds from a bank robbery in the sum of N7,486,300:00 was ordered in a court judgement to be forfeited to the state government. However, in flagrant disobedience to the said judgement, the Chief Judge directed that the money be paid into the First Bank Account of the High Court of Justice.”
According to him, the committee also discovered that the robe allowance due to Justice Oloyede was not paid to her by the CJ, yet the money was not returned to the government’s coffer. Instead, he alleged, it was paid into the personal account of Justice Ojo.
The committee subsequently recommended that the matter be referred to the National Judicial Council for appropriate action through the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Pending the outcome of the investigation of the National Judicial Council, the Assembly stated that it would stand by its earlier resolution of November 17, 2023, which asked the CJ to step aside.
The House after adopting the report, resolved that its certified true copy, including documents received as evidence, should be made available to the governor for transmission to the National Judicial Council for further action.
