The controversy trailing the concept of Plea-bargain in the nation’s criminal justice system is not likely to end soon. Those who are kicking against it claim that it is unknown to our legal system. However, those in support of it insist it has always been with us. But what exactly is it all about?

I have raised the above question in the hope that the Supreme Court may reconsider its rather rigid and disturbing stand on certain provisions of the Constitution which the apex court has equated with “Mount Zion” and “the Rock of Gibraltar”.

I think we need to understand the context in which the CJN is trying to re-direct the judiciary because of the wide spread corruption in the judiciary. What he is trying to do is to use extra-ordinary power to deal with the situation , but the question may be asked where did it get the power from?

It is precisely 6months and two weeks today, since the day the National Judicial Council, NJC, suspended the Court of Appeal President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami. The decision was taken after an emergency session of the council which held on August 18, 2011.

The Chief Judge of Kwara state, Justice Raliat Habeeb-Elelu, who secured her much desired Supreme Court judgment last Friday can safely be referred to as a cat with nine lives. As it were, the Chief judge who rose through the ranks to the pinnacle of her career, from her pedigree is not entirely new to controversy since her assumption of office about three years ago when she was removed.