Group reports Anambra judge to NJC over Abba-Ukpo land dispute

A non-governmental organisation, the Committee for Judicial Sanity, Anambra State branch, has reported Justice G.C. Anulude of the Anaocha Judicial Division to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for allegedly re-opening an already decided case of land dispute between Ukpo and Abagana community.

According to the group, the land dispute had been decided by the Court of Appeal in favour of Ukpo community and therefore ought not be revisited by a lower court.

The petition signed by the group’s chairman, Okechukwu Ndubuisi, and the secretary, Chuks Nnanyelu, asked the NJC to call the judge to order to save the judiciary embarrassment.

The group said it was shocking for the judge to deliver judgments in two suits relating to the case  while the Certified True Copies of the judgment are yet to be released till date.

Quoted the details of the cases as

“Suit No .A/323/2016 Igboeli & Others vs Eze, whose ruling was delivered on 6/4/2022, and Suit No. A/325/2016, Enweani & Others vs Eze & Others, with ruling delivered on 22/3/2022, the group expressed regrets that the Certified True Copies of both rulings have not been released.

The petition which was copied to  the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said Hon Justice G.C. Anulude of the Anaocha Judicial Division entertained a matter “on a land dispute between Ukpo and Abagana communities in Anambra State which was decided by a court of competent jurisdiction in favour of Ukpo, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“One curious thing about this whole saga is that the learned judge knew fully well that the court had adjudicated on the matter but went ahead to re-open the matter.”

It said such action implied disrespect for the court of the land, while urging the NJC to use his good offices to cause an investigation into the action of the judge to save the judiciary from ridicule.

The petition said: “You would agree with us that the judiciary, both the bar and the bench have come under ferocious attacks and scrutiny in the not too distant past with some very high judges and lawyers accused and brought to opprobrium as actors in the highly revered profession. To our mind this trend must be totally halted if the Nigerian judiciary is to take its rightful place and operate in the realms of global best practices”

“This case is another test for the NJC which we believe can rise to the highest peak and ensure its house is always clean. We therefore call on the NJC to Institute a panel of enquiry to look into this issue.”

A similar case of land dispute between Ukpo Community and Abba Community, which the Supreme Court had earlier decided in favour of Ukpo Community was reintroduced in another guise by some litigants from Abba Community in Nenni High Court but the then Presiding Judge dismissed the entire case on the grounds that no court in the land can open a case already decided by the Supreme Court or any higher Court or Court of Appeal. (Saturday Sun)