NJC clears Osun judge over husband-snatching saga

THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has cleared Justice Olamide Oloyede of Osun State judicial division over allegation of snatching Mrs Emily Richard-Obire’s estranged husband.

Emily wrote the council, accusing Oloyede of snatching her husband and opening her family to the vagaries of life.
The council subsequently queried the judge, which generated public uproar.

The council has now written to the petitioner, telling her that Oloyede had no case to answer.

In the response, the council said it discovered that a divorce case was decidedly settled between the petitioner and her husband in 2012 by a court of competent jurisdiction, thereby robbing the council of any jurisdiction to dabble into the matter.

The council, in the second reason given, said the petitioner failed to disclose in her petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) that the matter had been decided by a court of competent jurisdiction, thereby presenting the council with incorrect and incomplete information.

In the third reason averred for clearing Oloyede, the council noted that as of the time the petitioner was accusing the judge, there was no legal marriage between her and her husband, adding that the accused herself is a legal divorcee who could go into another relationship.

The council added that the petitioner did not present any evidence to show that the judgment of the Lagos court, legally separating her and her husband three years ago, was appealed.

With the 2012 judgment subsisting, the council said it had no choice but to take the matter as already decided by the court, which exonerated Oloyede of any acts of misconduct.

A top system source told Thenigerialawyer that if the petitioner had appealed the judgment and succeeded, Oloyede would have been investigated for misconduct.

The source, however, maintained that private lives of judicial officers would always be scrutinised once allegations of misconduct were brought against them, adding that Nigerians shouting over the query issued Oloyede should go and read the revised NJC Judicial Discipline Regulations 2014.

Meanwhile, an Osogbo High Court has fixed September 15 for definite hearing in the suit filed by Justice Oloyede against the Speaker of Osun Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam and 10 others.

Justice Aderibigbe Adebayo adjourned the matter for definite hearing in a short ruling on Thursday.
He ordered counsel for the plaintiff, Mr Lukman Ogunsetan, to serve the defence counsel with the petition personally before the adjourned date.