Kano sanctions court registrar, magistrates for misconduct

The Kano State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has taken decisive disciplinary actions against several judicial officers, including a court registrar and magistrates, for various acts of misconduct.

In a statement issued by Mr. Baba Jibo-Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Kano State Judiciary, the sanctions followed the 82nd meeting of the commission, during which it adopted recommendations from the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee (JPCC).

According to the statement, Court Registrar Salisu Sule was demoted by one grade level after being found guilty of misconduct in four separate complaints involving intimidation, abuse of office, and use of insulting language.

Investigations revealed that Sule had consistently exploited the name of the judiciary to harass the public.

A warning letter had previously been issued to him in December 2024, but the commission has now imposed a stiffer penalty.

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In a related development, the JSC ordered the compulsory retirement of Ahmad Aliyu Danmaraya, a Principal Registrar at the High Court Headquarters in Kano.

He was found guilty of forging an affidavit, unlawfully using the High Court’s stamp and seal, and generating a fake receipt number, despite not being a commissioner for oaths.

The commission also reviewed the cases of Chief Magistrates Mustapha Sa’ad-Datti and Rabi Abdulkadir, both of whom were reinstated and cleared to resume judicial duties.

However, they were cautioned to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.

Alkali Mustapha Kiru of the Sharia Court was suspended for one year for procedural violations.

He was found to have improperly closed a case due to the plaintiff’s failure to produce a witness and subsequently issued a writ of possession for disputed farmland—actions deemed to have violated fair hearing principles.

Kiru also detained the petitioner off-record for three weeks for challenging the writ.

In addition, Alkali Nasiru Ahmad received a formal warning for negligence and procedural lapses in a criminal case, while Senior Magistrate Sakina Aminu was cautioned for assigning a police prosecutor to cases in violation of the Chief Judge’s directive.

She was advised to improve cooperation with state counsel and adhere strictly to judicial protocols.

The JSC reiterated its commitment to upholding discipline, professionalism, and accountability within the judiciary, maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct.