The Kwara State Judicial Service Commission has dismissed two court registrars and demoted a magistrate over separate cases of gross misconduct and negligence, declaring that corruption and the compromise of judicial processes will not be tolerated in the state’s judiciary. The decisions were reached at the commission’s meeting on Wednesday and announced in a statement issued by the Media and Information Officer of the Kwara State High Court of Justice, Aliu Ahmad.
The commission demoted Magistrate Imam A.A. from Grade Level 13 to Grade Level 12 after finding him negligent in the handling of a culpable homicide case. It said the magistrate failed to properly supervise the bail process, allowing his registrar to allegedly collect ₦200,000 from the defendant’s relatives and facilitate the use of proxy sureties, leading to the suspect’s release. The defendant later absconded and was subsequently linked to another alleged murder, prompting a petition by the Kwara State Commissioner of Police.
The commission also dismissed court registrar Saadullahi Shuaib for gross misconduct after investigations found that he collected money for bail perfection, shared part of the proceeds with colleagues and failed to carry out the mandatory verification of sureties. Another registrar, Bisade Adebarade Philips, was also dismissed after being found guilty of extorting litigants, collecting unauthorised fees for court documents and issuing a divorce certificate without due authority.
Beyond the disciplinary measures, the commission approved the immediate financial implementation of staff promotions due between January 2025 and January 2026, confirmed Shola Ayenigba as the substantive Chief Accountant of the Judicial Service Commission and approved the transfer of Magistrate Nimat Abdulrazaq to the Federal Judicial Service Commission. It reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining integrity, accountability and a corruption free justice system across the state’s judiciary.