The National Judicial Council (NJC) has ordered immediate retirement of Osun State High Court judge, Justice S. O. Falola over an alleged false order.

The Director of Information, at the NJC, Adesoji Oye, said that Justice Falola granted a garnishee order against Polaris Bank for the sum of N283,174,000 in a questionable and strange manner.

He added that the the investigation committee found that Falola travelled to Lagos to visit the counsel for the bank on the issue of garnishee proceedings, an action it described as unprofessional.

Also, the NJC declined the request by governor Adeleke to suspend the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adepele Ojo.

The statement read: “The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its 104th Meeting of 6 and 7 December 2023, has recommended the compulsory retirement of Honourable Justice S. O. Falola of the Osun State High Court from the bench.

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

Questionably and strangely, 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 judgment sum.

It further found the conduct of the subject judge, travelling to Lagos to visit the counsel for the bank in his chambers on the issue of garnishee proceedings, unbecoming of the standard expected of a judicial officer.”

The Director of Information at NJC added that the had recommended to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to compulsorily retire Justice Falola with immediate effect.

The spokesperson said the NJC had suspended  Falola from office pending the approval of the recommendation of his compulsory retirement by the state governor.