President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, descended on the judiciary, saying the overall levels of judicial service delivery in the county still leave much to be desired.
President Buhari said he was perturbed that more than ever before, “allegations of judicial corruption have become more strident and frequent.”
Flagging-off the 2015 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference in Abuja, yesterday, Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, accused corrupt lawyers and judges of sabotaging his efforts to recover stolen assets.
He said: “Further on point of negative perception, there is both local and international dissatisfaction with the long delays in the trial process. In the past few years, this has become especially so for high-profile cases of corruption, especially where they involve serving or former political office holders.
“As my lords are undoubtedly aware, corruption transfers from public coffers to private pockets, resources required to deliver social and economic justice.
“Government’s attempts to recover such assets in accordance with the law are often faced with dilatory tactics by lawyers sometimes with the apparent collusion of judges.
“These tactics are often not directed at reaching any conclusion or affirming innocence or guilt, but at stalling trials indefinitely, thus denying the state and the accused person the opportunity of a judicial verdict. I wish to echo the sentiments of the vast majority of Nigerians in saying that we cannot afford to continue on this path.”