The NJC had constituted a panel to try the Chief Judge after it received a memo from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) referring to the Council a petition against the Chief Judge by a senior member of the bar, Mr. Peter Eze, who alleged forgery and misconduct against the Chief Judge. Following the same petition, the AGF had also in the same vein asked The Nigeria Police to investigate the forgery allegation and further referred the allegation of the Enugu State Chief Judge corruptly enriching himself to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation. Investigations revealed that the forthcoming trial of the Chief Judge, the head of one of the three arms of government in Enugu State, was causing apprehension in the state, especially among lawyers and others within judicial circles. Reacting to the development, a human rights group, Citizens Rights Realization and Advancement Network (CRRAN), described the trial of the Chief Judge as a litmus test for NJC, as “it is the first time in recent years that a sitting Chief Judge of a state faces trial before the Council. CRRAN reacted in a statement by its founder and President, Olu Omotayo Esq. The statement read further: “The trial which commences next week at the Supreme Court Complex Abuja has attracted commentaries from notable lawyers in the state. It would be recalled that the Former Honourable Attorney General of Enugu State, Nduka Ikeyi Esq. had also before this time written Petition against the Chief Judge to the National Judicial Council. “In a recent letter to the National Judicial Council by an Enugu based lawyer and activist, Louis Onyia Esq.(copy of which was also sent to us) titled:”Re: Investigation of the Conduct of Hon. Justice I.E. Umezulike, Chief Judge of Enugu State by NJC, at the instance of Attorney General of the Federation,” he (Onyia) urged the National Judicial Council not to shy away from its responsibility and save the judiciary. “Louis Onyia Esq. stated that the image of the judiciary in Enugu State has nosedived and shattered. It has suffered terribly because of the weighty allegations against its Chief Judge Hon. Justice I.A. Umezulike OFR. “Onyia Esq. further stated that all hands should be on deck to save the Judiciary. He suggested thus: ‘the best way to save the judiciary from the present acrimony and endless show of shame is for Hon. Justice I.A. Umezulike OFR, being the head to take responsibility or blame for the whole Macabre Dance and bow out either voluntarily or compulsorily by the National Judicial Council. If he remains at the center chair, the war will continue and judiciary will continue to suffer,” Omotayo said. Omotayo noted that at present, since the matter was set down for trial before the NJC, they are not taking side with parties but urged the Council to live up to its responsibility and discharge its functions without fear or favour, to save the judiciary as an institution and the country because the “judiciary is the last hope of the citizen of this country.]]>