Pondering Nigerian law and Tsoho’s follies

Tsoho: The compromised judge

One begins to consider Nigeria as a huge joke each time he considers some of its instruments of governance like its 1999 Constitutions. For instance, the so-called Constitution, which Abdulsalami Abubakar and his cohorts (most probably) sat in his bedroom to write, is nothing but a sham. Anybody in doubt should look at other Constitutions of the world and do a comparison, both of their content and their mode of enactment.

The merger of the 1979 Constitution written by Olusegun Obasanjo and his cohorts; and several other such useless documents written by other juntas like Ibrahim Babangida, and Sani Abacha, into what Abubakar called 1999 Constitution is nothing more than beer-parlour concoction.

It was a document with Fulani parochial interested in mind, and with the motive of subjugating Biafrans for the benefit of the lazy and illiterate Northern Nigerian peoples. A constitution is a body of laws and agreed principles and rules by the people, which states how they agree to be governed. It becomes a way of life and allows government to meet their immediate problems.

But that has never been the case with Nigerians. The military governments have always written their wishes and dumped it on the people. First page of the zoo scrap Constitution says: "We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria". Yet there was never an agreeable consensus among Nigerians before the Constitutions were adopted?

Meanwhile, one attempt that would have brought about an agreeable consensus, even though it was not watertight, the National Confab organized by Jonathan was truncated by Northerners.  It is because the operators of the Constitution consider it a useless document that they do not respect it; that is why such kangaroo decision as the one John Tsoho made on shielding witnesses last March 7.

Tsoho, on his judgment that March 7, showed his disdain for the 1999 Constitution when he ignored provisions such as the one that states: “…36 (3) the proceedings of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal shall be held in public.”

Does the hooding or shielding of witnesses not amount to secret trial and therefore unconstitutional? Then, as defence to his position, and to prove his poor knowledge of law Tsoho referred to a case that took place in Cote D’voir. But even laymen in Nigeria know that Cote D’voir  and Nigeria do not run the same legal system.

This is why we should speak directly to him now: Judge John Tsoho, why must you refer to a judgment in Ivory Coast in a case in Nigeria? Is Civil Law and Common Law the same? Your Kangoroo court should have known that the beer-parlour section of your country’s Constitution – (36).3 – says that "the proceedings of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the matters mentioned in sub section(1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) shall be held in public. (4) Whenever any person is charge with a criminal offence he shall, unless the charge is withdrawn be entitle to a fair hearing in public within a reasonable time by a court or tribunal.

“James Tsoho you do not deserve to be tagged a Judge rather, a puppet to Chief Terrorist and Peadophile Muhammadu Buhari. You are a disgraceful judge to the Nigeria Bar; you have undermined your legal education and your legal profession just because of N100m promised you by Buhari, the illiterate without certificate – your puppet master.

“Tsoho, how can you accuse a person in public and try him in secret. The witnesses said their lives were in danger, how can that be? If the witnesses were honest enough they should come boldly and testify. Tsoho, you have made Nigeria a laughing stock in International Community. The world now knows how incompetent and foolish you have been. I advise you to stand down now”.

By Kelechi Okorie

Biafra Choice Writers