Kano Judicial Service Commission Sanctions Six Over Extortion, Forgery

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

In a bid to sanitize the Judicial system, the Kano State Judicial Service Commission, JSC, has wielded the big stick against some Judiciary Staff.

Six Staff members of the Kano High Court  Registry Division found to be wanting in the discharge of their duties have  been visited with varying degrees of disciplinary actions.

A statement issued on Friday, July 26, 2024, by the  Spokesperson for the JSC, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, said the disciplinary actions against the erring staffers were taken at the 174th meeting of the Commission held on July 22, 2024 .

At the meeting, the Commission deliberated on the report of the Judiciary Public Complaint Committee, JPCC, which investigated two Court Registrars –  Mustapha Makama and Yusuf Muhammad Yankasai – over allegations of official misconducts.

They were alleged to have conspired and extorted  N130,000 from the petitioner, under the pretext of perfecting bail applications, which eventually turned to be a hoax.

According to the statement, the Investigative Committee found them culpable of extortion and involvement in unlawful receipt of funds.

“Consequently, the JSC have directed for the immediate compulsory retirement from service of Makama, as he has been found to be unfit to continue as a staff of the Judiciary.

“For being an accessory after the misconduct, Yakassai was down graded by a level, with a warning .

“Similarly, the JSC also considered another report by the JPCC, on a petition against a suspected syndicate operating within  the state’s Judiciary.

“The syndicate comprised Bilya Abdullahi ,Ismail a Garba and Auwalu Ibrahim Khalil all court registrars .

“The investigation revealed that their actions amounted to conspiracy ,forgery and cheating through the issuance of forged bank reversal court order and forgery of a magistrate’s signature .

“The Judicial Service Commission acting on the JPCC’s recommendations has suspended the staff with immediate effect” the statement noted .

The Kano State JSC’s  statement further noted and assured that it will  not relent in the efforts to sanitize the system ,through the sanctioning of all erring staffers.