EFCC finds N0.6b in judge’s account

The EFCC has made a startling discovery about former Enugu State Chief Judge Innocent Azubuike Umezulike’s: Detectives found N632.2 million in his bank account, reinforcing the reason for his involuntary retirement. The agency also found that the lodgements came from lawyers, businessmen, politicians and litigants.

According to The Nation newspaper, Justice Umezulike was believed to have operated the account without a Bank Verification Number (BVN). The former Chief Judge has been invited for interrogation on January 17 on some of the “shocking” lodgments. The NJC on September 29, 2016 recommended Justice Umezulike for compulsory retirement alongside Justice Mohammed Tsamiya, who was the Presiding Justice of the Ilorin Division of the Court of Appeal Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court was recommended for dismissal. The NJC said it recommended Umezulike to Governor Justice Lawrence Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for compulsory retirement for “delivering judgment in a case 126 days after final addresses were adopted by parties, and for other instances of abuse of office”. The council also found Justice Umezulike guilty of allegedly “receiving a donation of N10m from a businessman, Prince Arthur Eze, during his book launch while two cases in which Eze was said to have had “vested interest”, were in the judge’s court.”