Chief Judge (CJ) of Niger State, Justice Halima Abdulmalik, has described an Upper Shariah Court Judge, Abbas Mohammed of Kpakungu in Minna, as a Pharaoh due to his unprofessional conduct.

Lamenting the unjust incarceration of a suspect without trial by the judge, the CJ noted that the conduct further tainted the already battered image of the judiciary in the state.

“Your conduct in keeping this suspect in detention for no offence against him is that of Pharaoh.

“Our names and integrity are in question because of people like you in the system. People have lost confidence in the judiciary. We are being insulted in town, and I am worried. The judiciary is being called all sorts of names because of the unprofessional conduct you exhibited,” she said.

The Shariah Court Judge kept a suspect in correctional custody without any charge against him and failed to explain to the CJ the offence the suspect committed that led to his incarceration.

Worried by the unwholesome incarceration of the suspect identified as Saidu Kodi, Justice Abdulmalik flared up and warned that her regime as the CJ would continue to use the hammer on any errant judicial officers.

“I am worried with the insult we are receiving from the people in town. People no longer have confidence in us (the Judiciary). I will not accept that any longer,” she added.

The CJ promised to use the instrument of the laid down procedure to reprimand any judicial officer that engages in any unprofessional conduct in the discharge of their duty.(The Guardian)