ABUJA — The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, yesterday, described as worrisome, mounting allegations that judicial workers often leak “confidential information” to lawyers and court users.

The CJN, while flagging-off the 2016 refresher course for Secretaries, Protocol Officers, Court Registrars, Process Clerks and Bailiffs in Abuja yesterday, said it was equally worrisome that some judicial workers not only destroy or conceal evidence in cases pending in courts, “some have even presented themselves as persons capable of influencing the decisions of the court”.

He said: “A concurrent and overlapping criticism that is also often voiced by members of the public is that judicial staff solicit for funds from lawyers or court users to carry out their duties.

“Corrupt practices such as these should not exist in the judiciary and will not be tolerated where such practices exist. You must shun corruption in all its ramifications as it erodes public confidence in the Judiciary’s ability to impartially dispense justice and bring disrepute to the institution that we hold dear.”