The Chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Sharia Court of Appeal, Federal Capital Territory chapter, Barrister Mustapha Laminu, has alleged that the controversial and kangaroo order from a Magistrate Court sitting in Minna Niger State which was relied upon to close the salaried accounts of about 500 staff members of the court was procured by the management of First City Monument Bank Plc and not him.
Recall that Neptune Prime had on June 22, 2020 published a story, titled Lawyers to drag Abuja Grand Khadi to court over alleged salary fraud based on a Freedom of Information Request by an Abuja based legal practitioner Barrister Uche Amulu Esq of Chamber in which he sought information on reasons for the non-payment of the affected Staff salaries since April this year, among others.
Speaking to Neptune Prime in its office in Abuja, Barrister Laminu said he did not procure the said Court order as he only got it from the management of the FCMB, a deed he, however, did not challenge.
He said as a lawyer, he will not have gone to a Magistrate Court which does not have jurisdiction to obtain an order on an issue that affects members of his union.
He expressed surprise at how FCMB went as far as Niger state to procure an order from a court that does not have jurisdiction, all in a desperate effort to cover up for their misdeeds in handling staff salaries.
The lawyers had sought among other things:
1. Details as to why about 500 staff members of the Shariah Court of Appeal have not been paid salaries since April 2020 to date.
2. Documents that empowered the closure of salaried accounts of the staff members domiciled in First City Monument Bank Plc and moved to Zenith Bank Plc during this period of nonpayment of salaries.
3. Whether the Order of Court emanating from a Magistrate Court sitting in Minna Niger State, lacking jurisdiction, was relied upon or steps taken to challenge same in a Competent Court in the FCT. They gave seven (7) days within which to respond as provided by the FOI Act 2011. The fraud and how it happened.
The Sharia Court of Appeal has over 1000 staff out of which about 500 have not received their salaries since April this year. The crisis started when some junior staff were overpaid in March with some receiving millions as their salaries while some senior and junior staff were underpaid.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
