Suspended Chief Judge, Oyebola Ojo To Appear Monday Before Osun State Judicial Commission On Allegations Of Corruption, Abuse Of Office

The Osun State Judicial Service Commission has invited the recently suspended state Chief Judge, Oyebola Ojo, to appear before it to answer to allegations of corruption, financial misappropriation, abuse of office among others.

In a letter of invitation to the suspended CJ obtained by SaharaReporters on Saturday, the Osun State Judicial Service Commission said its investigation followed the resolution of the Osun State House of Assembly.

The suspended CJ is expected to appear on Monday, 20th November, by 11am and the venue is at the Conference Hall, High Court of Justice Complex, Oke-fia, Osogbo.

The letter reads, “RE: ALLEGATION OF ABUSE OF OFFICE, FINANCIAL MIS- APPROPRIATION, DISOBEDIENCE TO COURT ORDERS AND CORRUPTION IN THE OSUN STATE JUDICIARY: A CALL FOR INVESTIGATION OF THE OSUN STATE CHIEF JUDGE; Further to the resolution of the Osun State House of Assembly which directed the Osun State Judicial Service Commission to investigate the aforementioned allegations, you are hereby invited to appear before the Commission on Monday, 20th November2023 of 11:00am prompt. The Venue is the Conference Hall, High Court of Justice Complex, Oke-fia, Osogbo.”

The invitation was copied to the Osun State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice.

The commission team to meet with the suspended CJ included; Barrister Isola Tawfiq Tewogbade; Barrister Adedunmade Onibokun; Miss Linda Olufunke Bibilari; Mr. Gbadegesin Olajide.

SaharaReporters had reported on Thursday that Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State defied the order by the National Industrial Court restraining him from suspending the Osun State Chief Judge, Oyebola Ojo.

The governor had earlier approved the resolution of the State Assembly that recommended the suspension of Ojo.

But the National Industrial Court had stopped the governor from removing the Chief Judge and directed him to fortify security around Justice Ojo to protect her from all forms of harassment, pending the determination of the suit filed before the court.

It was reported that in an interim order dated November 16, 2023, the presiding Judge of National Industrial Court, Justice Dele Peters, granted the motion experte filed by Justice Ojo through her counsel, Oladipo Olasope (SAN).

However, despite the court order, the spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed in a statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday said that Governor Adeleke had approved the appointment of Justice Olayinka David Afolabi, as the Acting Chief Judge of the state with immediate effect.

Rasheed had stated that the Governor’s decision was sequel to the approval of the resolution of the State House of Assembly.

The statement had noted that “Following the approval of the resolution of the House by the Governor, the Deputy-Governor has been directed by the Governor to perform the swearing-in ceremony of the Acting Chief Judge of Osun State which will be held tomorrow at the Executive Lounge, Governor’s Office, Osogbo.”