Corrupt Judicial Officers: I Can’t Speak For AGF – Ministry Official

An official at the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Yusuf Bado Mok yesterday denied speaking on behalf of the AGF, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) over his readiness to back the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in its crusade to combat corruption in the judiciary.???

LEADERSHIP had reported in its Sunday February 26, 2012 edition that? Adoke? had assured of his support to NBA’s initiative to investigate and expose some retired judges, serving judicial officers and senior lawyers found to have facilitated predetermined judgments.

This story was anchored on a chat between our reporter and Mok, an assistant director in the department of civil litigation and public law in the ministry, on the subject matter.

But clarifying his position in a letter dated February 27, 2012, Mok said he never claimed to be representing the AGF in any forum whatsoever.

“I am a civil servant, I know I should not speak to the press”, Mok added.

NBA President, Joseph Daudu (SAN), had on February 17, 2012 during the valedictory court session in honour of a former Justice of the Supreme Court, the late Justice Anthony Aniagolu, accused some prominent ex-judges and senior lawyers of facilitating predetermined judgments for their clients through bribery.

Daudu said the NBA would soon inaugurate its anti-corruption commission with the mandate of identifying the masterminds behind corruption in the legal profession and the justice system.