By Admin
The Kano State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has ordered the compulsory retirement of a Sharia Court judge over bribery and imposed disciplinary sanctions on several judicial officers and court staff following investigations into allegations of misconduct.
The decisions were reached during the Commission's 90th meeting held on July 3, 2026, after it reviewed reports and recommendations submitted by the Judicial Public Complaints Committee on petitions involving judges and court personnel. The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson for the Kano State Courts, Baba Jibo Ibrahim.
According to the statement, Hon. Judge Aliyu Yahaya Muhammad of the Bebeji Sharia Court was compulsorily retired after investigators established that he received a ₦250,000 bribe in Suit No. CV/474/2024 between Talatu Ibrahim and Muntari Abubakar Baguda. The Commission also directed the judge to refund the entire amount received.
The Commission further suspended the Registrar of the Bebeji Sharia Court, Ibrahim Ahmad Ibrahim, without pay for four months after he admitted receiving part of the bribe.
In a separate case, the JSC approved the compulsory retirement of Muzambilu Ado, Acting Director of Public Relations at the Kano State Sharia Court of Appeal, after investigations uncovered what it described as serious irregularities in his academic credentials, including alteration of educational records and irregular entry into the judicial service.
Also sanctioned was Hon. Judge Usman Haruna Usman of the Goron Dutse Upper Sharia Court, who was demoted by one grade level for negligence after allowing proceeds from the sale of attached property to be paid into the personal account of a court staff member, resulting in the loss of litigants' funds.
The Commission also cautioned Hon. Judge Abdullahi Wayya of the Kasuwa Sharia Court over his handling of bail in Case No. CR/172/2022 involving the Commissioner of Police and Muhammad Musa Kadawa. It found that the judge failed to properly supervise the bail process, leading to the release of the defendant without adequate verification of the property documents presented as bail.
As part of its resolutions, the Commission directed that the case involving Inspector Shehu Adamu be forwarded to the Kano State Police Command for further investigation and possible disciplinary action after he was found to have misled the court by certifying that all bail conditions had been fulfilled. It also ordered a thorough investigation into the roles played by court cashiers Salmanu Zubairu and Ahmad Kabir in processing the bail documents.
Meanwhile, the Commission reversed its earlier suspension of Hon. Judge Umar Sunusi Danbaba following the submission of additional documents by the Judicial Public Complaints Committee. The fresh findings indicated that the committee had not recommended his removal from judicial duties. Consequently, the Commission restored him to office with effect from July 3, 2026, alongside his full salary and benefits.
Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining public confidence in the judiciary, the Commission stressed that it would continue to uphold the highest standards of ethics, professionalism and discipline. It warned that any judicial officer or court employee found guilty of misconduct, corruption or abuse of office would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the law.