Rivers: DSS Offered Bribe, Threatened Me, Then I Was Sacked From Rivers Tribunal – Justice Pindiga

Justice Muazu Pindiga, the former chairman of the Rivers state governorship petitions tribunal who was removed under questionable circumstances has spoken up about the ordeal he went through just before he was dismissed as judge of the tribunal.

According to Premium Times News, Pindiga availed that two weeks before he was dismissed, he was threatened.He also revealed that soon after, there was an attempt to bribe him and later on he was sacked.

He said: “Two weeks before I was removed as chairman of the Tribunal, I got a call from an unknown number, asking for an appointment for us to meet in Kaduna. And I asked, what for?

“And the caller said, it’s on a need to know basis. That the details of the meeting would be made known to me in Kaduna. And I declined.

“The next was a call from the DSS, saying they were all expecting me at meeting in Kaduna. And demanded why I turned down the appointment. And I said, I’m a chairman of a Tribunal, and do not have the luxury to attend meetings. Especially one without an agenda.
“And the caller from DSS said there was a petition of fraud against me, in a case I handled in Kaduna in 2009. And I asked him to charge me accordingly, in line with the extant laws.

“I was called again by another caller; who apologised to me, on behalf of the DSS. And offered to compensate me for the harassment I received from the DSS, and rescheduled another meeting, in Kaduna. And I declined again.

“And the next was a letter removing me as the Chairman of the Rivers State governorship petitions tribunal, and replacing me with Justice Ambrosa. As is the practice, I offered to brief Justice Ambrosa, on the proceedings so far, but he said that won’t be necessary that he has been following the case.

“Now, on the judgement delivered by Justice Ambrosa; it will be unethical and unprofessional to denigrate, or condemn the judgement of a contemporary colleague.