By Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD
You do not expect a thief or any criminal gang to celebrate the judge who ensured that they got the justice they deserve. Thieves, terrorists and all kinds of criminals would always turn their ire on judges and law enforcement agents who refuse to be compromised. This explains why Justice James Omotosho has joined the list of those marked for cancellation and hate by the terrorist group, IPOB.
IPOB has spread all kinds of fake information against the eminent Justice, since his very courageous, yet, lenient sentence on the international terrorist, Nnamdi Kanu. They have planted fake news about his assassination, they have spread the false information that the NJC has ordered him to review Nnamdi Kanu’s case, they have written that the NBA has sanctioned him, they have written that he is facing an international arrest warrant. Now, without apologising for the previous fake news they have spread about the good Godly judge, they have gone to town, through their various purveyors of fake news, to claim that Justice Omotosho’s proposed elevation to the Appeal Court bench is in reward for his sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu. Like all the other lies they have spread against the good man, this is also a lie from the pit of hell.
Justice James Omotosho has earned his promotion. He has stood out as one of the most courageous and finest judges of his generation. Having served as a High Court judge since February 2015, the eminent Justice is known for handing down very courageous and hard to fault judicial pronouncements. A judge’s credibility is determined by how many of his judgements survive appellate challenges, and so far, Justice James Omotosho is one of the few judges who, more than 70% of their verdicts that went up to the Supreme Court, has been upheld.
His judgement on Nnamdi Kanu, sentencing the terrorist to life imprisonment, has been described by notable legal experts as “detailed, perfect and lenient.”. Given the huge pile of evidence presented by the prosecution team against Nnamdi Kanu, most other judges would have given the hooligan from Afara-Ukwu, the capital punishment of death by hanging or firing squad. Justice Omotosho explained that he was minded to hand down the highest punishment prescribed by law for Nnamdi Kanu’s offences, but that he was restrained by his Christian faith and the allocution presented for Nnamdi Kanu by his representative in the House of Representatives, Honourable Aguocha.
About 48 High Court judges have been nominated for elevation to the Appeal Court bench, and I am one of those who pray fervently and honestly that Justice Omotosho is favourably considered for elevation. Justice Omotosho has shown good character, integrity, restraint and the right temperament to serve at the highest level as an impartial judge and I know that God does not abandon such people in their times of need.
Dr. Onwuasoanya FCC Jones is the immediate past Deputy Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and the International Coordinator of the Southeast Political Revival Group (SPRG).
