NJC suspends Rivers judge without pay over arrest, N300,000 fines on litigants

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court for one year without pay for ordering the arrest of litigants and fining them without due process, Sahara Reporters reports.

The council barred him from nomination for elevation to a higher court for three years.

The decisions were taken at the NJC’s 112th meeting on November 3, chaired by Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

Its investigation committee found that the judge imposed fines of N300,000 on each petitioner for allegedly disobeying an interim injunction, without instituting contempt proceedings or serving Forms 48 and 49.

“It held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and ought not to have been summarily tried and punished,” the statement said.

The NJC said it considered nine investigation reports on petitions against judicial officers.

“The disciplinary action was among several decisions taken by the Council against judicial officers following investigations into complaints about their conduct,” the statement added.