An FCT High Court in Jabi has dismissed a suit seeking for the declaration that the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, falsified his age and was unqualified for the position of Nigeria’s head of judiciary.
The trial judge, Justice Danlami Senchi on Friday held that the suit lacked “locus standi’’.
He also awarded a N10 million fine against the claimant, Tochi Michael, to serve as a deterrent to others who were bent on carrying false information. The judge held that the fine must be paid within three weeks from the day of the judgment.
Justice Senchi also held that there was no evidence before the court to prove Michael’s case that Nigeria’s acting head of judiciary reduced his age from Dec. 31, 1950 to Dec. 31, 1953 as claimed in the suit.
He also held that the 46-year-old claimant did not specify in the originating summons the special interest he has in the suit adding that the claimant has no ‘locus standi’ to institute such action.
The judge further held that the attitude of the claimant counsel, Melkizadeck Zaro was nothing but an attempt to scandalize, malign and destroy the person of the CJN and the entire judiciary.
He therefore ordered that the registrar of the Supreme Court should commence a disciplinary action against the claimant counsel for supplying false information to breach the law.
