The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed as a video circulating on social media claiming that it arrested or was investigating the Federal High Court Chief Judge, James Omotosho.
In a statement shared on Tuesday by ICPC spokesperson John Odey, the commission described the claims as “entirely untrue” and intended to mislead the public.
‘’The Commission states categorically that the claim contained in the video is entirely untrue and intended to spread mischief and mislead members of the public. ICPC wishes to clarify that it has neither arrested nor invited Justice James Omotosho in relation to any investigation.
‘’The Commission is also not investigating the Honourable Judge as alleged in the video. The Commission therefore urges members of the public to disregard the misleading content and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public concern and damaging reputations,’’ the statement stressed.
ICPC further explained that it has no mandate to investigate serving judicial officers and reaffirmed its respect for all members of the judiciary, including Mr Omotosho.
The statement urged the public to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified content that could cause unnecessary concern or damage reputations.
“The ICPC remains committed to professionalism and due process in the discharge of its statutory mandate,” it stated.
Mr Omotosho, who sits in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, is one of the most prominent judges across the divisions of the court in Nigeria.
He has been in the limelight over the last few years due to the nature of cases. One of such cases was the one involving Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu, whom he sentenced to life imprisonment last November.
The speculations about Mr Omotosho’s alleged arrest and investigation come amid tension over a discreet but far-reaching probes by the National Judicial Council (NJC) into some highly placed judges in the country.
READ ALSO: CCB summons Federal High Court Chief Judge Tsoho over undeclared accounts
Amid the NJC probes, PREMIUM TIMES reported exclusively the alleged failure of Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, to declare some of his bank accounts in violation of the code of conduct law.
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has summoned Mr Tsoho over the allegations.
The Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently confirmed the invitation and announced that Mr Tsoho would cooperate with the bureau.
However, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the invitation, arguing that it violated a judicial precedent declaring that a judge cannot be investigated or prosecuted by any agency until such judge is first disciplined by the NJC.