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The Kwara State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has dismissed two court registrars and demoted a magistrate after investigations found them culpable of gross misconduct, negligence and actions that compromised judicial processes. The disciplinary decisions were reached during the commission’s meeting on Wednesday, with the JSC reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and unethical conduct within the state’s judiciary.
Among those sanctioned was Magistrate Imam A.A., who was demoted from Grade Level 13 to Grade Level 12 for negligence in supervising a culpable homicide case. The commission said he failed to properly oversee the bail perfection process, allowing his registrar to allegedly collect ₦200,000 from a defendant’s relatives and arrange proxy sureties, leading to the suspect’s release. The defendant later absconded and was subsequently linked to another murder. The JSC also dismissed Saadullahi Shuaib, the registrar attached to the magistrate, for collecting money for bail processing and failing to verify the sureties, while another registrar, Bisade Adebarade Philips, was dismissed after investigations uncovered a pattern of extorting litigants and lawyers, including charging ₦12,000 instead of the official ₦2,700 fee for issuing a divorce certificate.
Beyond the disciplinary measures, the commission approved the immediate implementation of cash-backed promotions for judicial staff due for elevation between January 2025 and January 2026, confirmed Mr. Shola Ayenigba as the substantive Chief Accountant of the Judicial Service Commission, and approved the transfer of Magistrate Nimat Abdulrazaq to the Federal Judicial Service Commission. The JSC urged all judicial workers to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability, stressing that any attempt to undermine public confidence in the justice system would attract severe sanctions.
