Justice Flora Azinge, the chairperson of the Kano State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, has publicly denounced an alleged bribery attempt by a prestigious Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The incident, which she disclosed in court on Tuesday, has caused significant uproar within the legal community in Kano.
Azinge underscored her dismay at the unethical practices she has witnessed among high-ranking lawyers. She refrained from identifying the advocate involved, but did note that he currently has an open case before her tribunal.
Expressing her disgust, she stated, “A Senior Advocate of Nigeria with a case in this tribunal tried to bribe me. There’s been a flurry of monetary offers here since yesterday. Whoever accepts bribes on my behalf, may they and their future generations — up to the fourth — face divine retribution.”
She also addressed the frequent media criticism of judges, saying, “People repeatedly degrade judges, launching daily insults at us in the press, accusing us of accepting bribes.”
The judge warned anyone against approaching her with financial incentives, stating that she is satisfied with her life and her means.
In response to these revelations, Eyitayo Fatogun, another SAN who was in court on an unrelated case, appealed to the judge to report the incident to the relevant authorities. He referenced instances where judges were held accountable for judicial misconduct for not reporting similar situations.
SOURCE: Daily Nigerian
IMAGE: Igbere TV
