CJN queries High Court judge for alleged misconduct

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has sent a
memorandum to Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, for
alleged misconduct.

The memo, dated November 19, was addressed to Justice Yunusa through the
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta.
The CJN demanded an explanation from Justice Yunusa on a petition sent to the
National Judicial Council (NJC) by a businesswoman, Mrs Rachidatou Abdou, who is
a party in a suit before the judge.
Justice Yunusa was given 14 days to respond to the CJN’s memorandum.
In her petition of November 11, Mrs. Abdou, a Beninois resident in Nigeria, narrated
how Justice Yunusa allegedly connived with the lawyer to her opponent to deny her
justice.
The petitioner said she wrote to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission
(EFCC) on alleged manipulation of incorporation documents of a company, Rana
Prestige Industries Limited, which she co-owned with a fellow Beninois, Mr. Gnahoue
Sourton Nazaire.
She said her grouse about the co-director was that he allegedly colluded with the
lawyer, who handled the incorporation, to change the share capital holding structure
from 50 per cent each between her and Nazaine to 60 per cent and 40 per cent in
favour of her partner.
Mrs Abdou said her partner allegedly forged her signature to change the share
holding of the company.
The petitioner also said her co-director allegedly connived with his younger brother,
Mr. Denon Modeste, who she described as an employee of the company, to divert
the company’s funds while she was in France for six years.
She accused Justice Yunusa of conniving with the lawyer to her opponent to
frustrate EFCC’s probe of her petition.
Mrs Abdou said her opponent, through their lawyer, filed three suits to stop EFCC’s
investigation of her petition.
The petitioner expressed shock that Justice Yunusa had allegedly been
communicating with the lawyer to her opponent before the suits were filed and when
they were still pending, contrary to judicial officers’ ethics.
She averred that Justice Yunusa spoke severally with the lawyer to her opponent and
exchanged Short Messaging Service (SMS) with him.
Mrs Abdou vowed to expose the alleged conversation anytime she is invited.
The petitioner alleged that her co-director had been boasting in Cotonou that he had
pocketed the judge in the matter.
She also said Justice Yunusa’s judgment in a suit delivered on August 18, confirmed
her worst fear and confirmed her allegation when she was fined N6,000,000 as
damages.