FIACIJ REPORT: Lagos State CJ responds to youth corper's allegation against her Office

Date: 3rd January 2018, Time: 10.30am Venue: the office of the Chief Judge of Lagos State The Hon. Chief Judge explained that she had nothing to do with the contractors or any funds regarding her lordship’s chambers. Her lordship noted that all the furniture purchased by her predecessor was taken away by her predecessor and replaced with old and worn out furniture. The only remarkable difference in the office is that the AC is now in the roof and not a split system hanging on the walls. In response to the work done at her official quarters, her lordship says she has not even passed through the street where the house is located talk less of entering it With respect to the youth corper who claims he has not been paid, her lordship remarks that she is not aware of any outstandings to be paid from the information she got from the accountants. In fact the sum of 200m is said to be mismanaged by the last administration with over 24.4m said to be spent on a valedictory session for the outgone CJ. The former CJ paid herself 4.4m before leaving office and is now claiming a refund of 20m from the current Chief judge who has refused to pay hence the allegations in the first place. The CJ also noted that the former CJ went away with all the furniture at the official CJ residence Further investigations show that some official cars were missing but some have been recovered. 3 staff of the cash office were also suspended while it was discovered that almost all the departments of the judiciary were making returns to the former CJ Further inquiries revealed that the instagram post were connected to the former CJ in a bid to distract the current Chief judge from rooting out all the seeds of corruption planted by the last administration. The current CJ has since received several threats because of her anti corruption stance. Till date, we have not received any word from those who first made the allegations. We have left messages for them but no response. We have also not received any anonymous messages supporting the allegations Our conclusion therefore, in the absence of any other information contrary to what we have heard directly from the current Chief judge is that the ALLEGATIONS WERE FALSE calculated to undermine the Chief Judge’s stand against corruption. We presented copies of the FIACIJ flyers to the CJ who promises to circulate amongst her staff and all judiciary officers. Her lordship is also going to call a press conference later in the month to publicly endorse the flyer and encourage all lawyers and litigants to stop offering bribes and be bold enough to report any erring judicial staff or officer. Bayo Akinlade Esq National Convener FIACIJ]]>