The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, has recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Justice S. O. Falola of Osun State High Court from the Bench.
The decision was taken at its 104th Meeting of 6 & 7 December 2023.
The recommendation was made sequel to the findings of an Investigation Committee in a petition written against His Lordship by Mr Dapo Kolapo Olowo and Polaris Bank for granting a Garnishee Order Absolute against the Bank for the sum of N283,174,000.00 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Three Million, One Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand Naira) in a questionable and strange manner, and endorsement of the Order, attaching the account of the Garnishee with another garnishee and not the account of the Judgment Debtor who had the legal obligation to pay the supposed judgement sum.
They found that the subject Judge misconducted himself by entertaining Suit No HIK/41/2018 when there was no evidence of a judgement of the Kwara State High Court before him, neither was there a Certificate of Registration of same in Osun State to confer jurisdiction on him.
It further found the conduct of the subject Judge travelling to Lagos to visit the Counsel of the Bank in his Chambers on the issue of Garnishee Proceedings,q unbecoming of the standard expected of a Judicial Officer.
Consequently, Council resolved to recommend him to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State for compulsory retirement with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the National Judicial Council has suspended Hon. Justice S. O. Falola from office pending the approval of the recommendation of his compulsory retirement by the Osun State Governor.
