By Ogar Monday
The Cross River State Acting Chief Judge, Justice Michael Idem has said that he considers it an act of corruption for Judges not to be seated in Court as at when due and he will not condone corruption as long as he reins at the helm of the Cross River judiciary.
Justice Edem stated this at the ceremony to declare open the State legal year held recently in Calabar.
His words, “It is an act of corruption if court does not sit at the time frame of 9 O’clock in the forenoon or so soon thereafter. So soon thereafter cannot and must not be interpreted beyond 9:30a.m. unless there is a cogent cause to the contrary. There may be at least one lapse in a week. But beyond that, a cogent cause will become a deliberate cause. If for any reason a Judge or Magistrate would not sit for two days, he must seek and have my leave.”
The ACJ stated that the purge of corrupt elements from the State judiciary is holistic, as “the generality of the judiciary staff from the highest to the lowest are not left out of this exhortation.
“The prying and eagle eyes of the public are on us. If one finger of the judiciary is soiled by oil, the oil shall spread and pollute the entire body. The judiciary will not be a victim of a collective malfeasance. I will let go of the axe ruthlessly.”
Justice Edem concluded, stating that why he will not discourage cordial relationship between lawyers and judiciary staff “lawyers have to ply their trade with hard core diligence to avoid cheap rescue routes to technicalities sanctuary to shield unprofessionalism and anemia of professional know-how.”
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