By Halimah Olamide
The National Judicial Council on Thursday ordered an immediate and compulsory retirement of judge of the High Court in Osun State, Jide Falola.
A statement signed by the Director of Information of the NJC, Soji Oye, says the council also recommended the compulsory retirement of a judge of the Osun State High Court, Justice Sakariyah Oyejide Falola, from the Bench.
The recommendation follows the findings of an investigation committee in a petition written by Mr Dapo Kolapo Olowo and Polaris Bank against the judge for granting a Garnishee Order Absolute against the bank for the sum of N283,174,000.00 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Three Million, One Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand Naira) in a questionable and strange manner.
The committee found the conduct of Justice Falola traveling to Lagos to visit the counsel of the bank in his chambers on the issue of Garnishee Proceedings, unbecoming of the standard expected of a judicial officer.
Consequently, the NJC in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the Constitution has suspended Justice Falola from office pending the approval of the recommendation of his compulsory retirement by Governor Adeleke.
A statement by the council’s Director of Information, Adesoji Oye, indicated that the investigation committee held that Falola traveled to Lagos to visit the bank’s counsel in his chambers on the issue of Garnishee Proceedings, an action which it described as unprofessional.
The statement read, “The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its 104th Meeting of December 6 and 7, 2023 has recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Justice S. O. Falola of Osun State High Court from the Bench.