The Chief Judge of Imo State; Hon Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka has been accused of continuous and conscious involvement in age falsification.
In a petition to the National Judicial Council NJC signed by Comrade Ndubuisi Onyemaechi; Director of investigation, Civil Society Engagement Platform CSEP, the State Chief Judge was accused of deliberately falsifying her date of birth so as to secure unmerited elevation to the office of Chief Judge.
The petition read in part; “… We are in possession of hard evidence showing that the Imo State Chief Judge, Hon Justice Theresa E. Chukwuemeka-Chikeka falsified her age at various points so as to remain in service and enjoy elevation to the high office of the State Chief Judge; an act which is a grave criminal offence for which many other Judges and Justices have been summarily dismissed and are currently being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)”.
Documents attached to the petition dated June 14, 2024, show that Justice Chikeka had; in her admission form to the Nigerian Law School in the year 1981; gave her date of birth as 27th October, 1956, however, in an unscrupulous and desperate bid to stay longer in service and to defraud the Government of undeserved salaries and allowances and other attendant benefits, she changed her date of birth from 27th October, 1956 to 27th October, 1958.
The petition listed many Judges of our Courts who have been compulsorily retired from the Judiciary and made to refund all salaries and allowances they received through falsification of their age. They include; Hon Justice Francis Abosi of Imo State Judiciary. The NJC recommended his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodimma and also asked the Governor to deduct the salaries he has earned from the date of the age falsification to the date of compulsory retirement. The NJC further recommended him for prosecution by the ICPC.
Other Judges listed in the petition as having been punished for age falsification includes: Hon Grand Kadi Shu’aibu Talba, Nwanosike Shadrach, then acting Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq of Osun State Judiciary, Justice Joshua E. Ikede of the Delta State Judiciary and a host of others.
The Civil Society group gave the National Judical Council NJC a fourteen day ultimatum within which to commence action on the petition.
“Please take notice that if no action is taken over this matter by the Council after the expiration of the fourteen (14) days ultimatum, the Civil Society Engagement Platform CSEP will organize a mass protest and will shutdown the National Judicial Council NJC, the Imo State House of Assembly, and the Imo State Judicial Service Commission until this odoriferous saga is addressed in accordance with the law and precedence”