Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kwara State Judicial Service Commission has dismissed two court registrars and demoted a magistrate over separate cases of gross misconduct, negligence, corruption, and the compromise of judicial processes, declaring that such infractions will no longer be tolerated within the state's judiciary. The resolutions were reached at the commission's meeting held on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, and announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Media and Information Officer of the Kwara State High Court of Justice, Aliu Ahmad.
Among those sanctioned was Magistrate Imam A.A., who was demoted from Grade Level 13 to Grade Level 12 after the commission found him negligent in the supervision of a culpable homicide case. According to the commission, the magistrate failed to properly oversee the bail perfection process, allowing his registrar to compromise the procedure. The registrar allegedly collected ₦200,000 from the defendant's relatives and arranged proxy sureties, leading to the fraudulent release of the suspect. The defendant later absconded, resulting in repeated adjournments before the magistrate eventually terminated the case without due process. The matter took a more serious turn after the same defendant was allegedly involved in another murder, prompting the Kwara State Commissioner of Police to petition the commission. An investigative committee set up by the commission found the magistrate culpable of negligence in supervisory oversight.
In a related development, the commission dismissed Mr. Saadullahi Shuaib, a Grade Level 10 officer and former registrar attached to Magistrate Imam at the Chief Magistrate Court, Sango, for gross misconduct. Investigations established that Shuaib collected money from the defendant's relatives to facilitate the bail process, shared part of the proceeds with colleagues, and failed to conduct the mandatory scrutiny of sureties in collaboration with the court orderly before the defendant was released. The commission stated that the registrar's actions compromised the judicial process and breached the ethical standards expected of judicial officers.
The commission also dismissed Mr. Bisade Adebarade Philips, a registrar attached to Hon. Justice Oluwatosin Adeniyi, following petitions by litigants and legal practitioners alleging repeated unethical practices. Investigations revealed that Philips collected ₦12,000 instead of the official ₦2,700 fee for issuing a divorce certificate on June 26, 2026, bypassed the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service payment process, and appended his signature to the certificate without the authority to do so. Although Philips admitted some of the allegations during his appearance before the investigative committee on July 1, witness testimonies and documentary evidence established a pattern of extortion, including repeatedly demanding money from litigants and lawyers before releasing court orders and certified judgments.
Beyond the disciplinary actions, the commission approved several administrative measures, including the immediate implementation of cash-backing for staff promotions due in January 2025, July 2025, and January 2026, with financial implementation taking effect from July 2026. The commission also confirmed Mr. Shola Ayenigba as the substantive Chief Accountant after serving in an acting capacity and approved the transfer of Magistrate Nimat Abdulrazaq from the Kwara State Judiciary to the Federal Judicial Service Commission in Abuja. The commission stressed that corruption, negligence, abuse of office, and any compromise of judicial processes would not be tolerated within the Kwara State judiciary, urging all judicial staff to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and professionalism.
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