From Dan Amasingha, Minna

Niger State judicial service commission has fired a Sharia court judge, his Registrar and twenty-five others for sundry offences ranging from forgery and diversions of Funds.

The decision to sack the legal officers was taken following their indictment by various committees set up by the state government which recommended their dismissal from the state Judicial Service Commission.

DAILY ASSET gathered that, the Sharia court judge and the Registrar (names withheld) were indicted by a committee set up by the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik over a N400 million scam.

The duo were alleged to have diverted the sum of N400 million being proceeds of the sale of an estate belonging to a late Minna business man, Alhaji Labaran Kalgo in Abuja and Minna.

According to an heir to the deceased Business man,  Mustafa Ibrahim Kalgo who petition the State chief judge, the family had given the Sharia court permission to dispose the  two estates at Abuja and Minna to enable beneficiaries of the inheritance share the proceed accordance to Islamic principles.

The petitioners however alleged in his petition to the Chief Judge that, the Judge and the Registrar diverted the proceeds to their personal use.

Niger State Chief Judge, justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik set up a seven member committee to ascertained the validity of the claim, headed by Justice Balkisu Gambo Yusuf who returned a guilty verdict and recommended their sack from the State judiciary.

Confirming the axing of the judicial officials, the Executive Secretary of the State Judicial Service Commission, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ahmad Garafini said the Judge and the Registrar could not give appropriate account of the proceed of the sale of the two properties of the deceased and remit the proceed to the family as required.

Speaking on the remaining 25 officials who comprise of junior and middle cadre personnel, Garafini said that they were found to have gained employment into the state judiciary with forged certificates.

He explained that, most of the affected officials were discovered during the state government staff verification exercise headed by  Engr. Ibrahim Panti, who discovered them and wrote the schools they claimed to have attended who wrote back disclaiming their purported certificates.

The committee later forwarded their recommendation to the State judicial service commission who also approved their reverting to their original certificates and lower grade, but the affected staff few months later re presented other forged certificates.