After
hiring a former prosecutor at the United Nations International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda, the EFCC has filed 30 charges against Justice Rita
Ofili-Ajumogobia and another SAN.
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed 30 charges
against a Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia; and a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Obla accused of collecting bribe
and enriching themselves illegally.
The EFCC revealed that about $793,800 passed through the judge’s
domiciliary accounts between 2012 and 2015. The judge allegedly used the
money to buy a house in London. The two accounts, Access Bank
(0002649223) and Diamond Bank (0032091183) have since been frozen by the
EFCC.
The two suspect are expected to be arraigned before a Lagos State High Court this week.
According to Punch, five of the charges are centred on an alleged
N5m bribe given to the judge by the senior advocate while the remaining
25 charges are on the huge amounts that passed through the accounts of
Ofili-Ajumogobia and her alleged inability to explain her source of
wealth.
The other charges filed against the judge border on forgery, lying, unlawful enrichment and other related offences.
Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla have been in the custody of the EFCC for
about 10 days following revelations that the senior advocate paid N5m
into her account in 2015 at a time she was presiding over one of his
cases.
She told the EFCC that the money was a deposit for a N40m property
she sold to Obla, the senior advocate said the money was a payment for
building materials. However, Obla told the EFCC he did not know that the
account belonged to the judge.
Some of the charges read in part, “That you, Hon. Justice Ngozi
Ofili-Ajumogobia, and Godwin Obla (SAN), on or about May 21, 2015, in
Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired with
each other to pervert the course of justice in charge number
FHC/L/C/482C/10 with the sum of N5,000,000.
“That you, Godwin Obla (SAN), on or about May 21, 2015, in
Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, intentionally
gave the sum of N5,000,000 to Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia
of the Federal High Court directly from your Obla and Company account
(1015319084) domiciled in the United Bank for Africa Plc in order that
the said judge acts in the exercise of her official duties.”
EFCC after conducting its investigation found out that about
$793,800 passed through the judge’s accounts and she allegedly was not
able to explain to detectives how she came about the sums.
Explaining how the thousands of dollars passed through
Ofili-Ajumogobia's accounts, the EFCC made a breakdown of the figures
involved. A breakdown of the figures by the EFCC showed that
Ofili-Ajumogobia received a deposit of $130,000 through her Diamond Bank
account on May 30, 2013. On June 2, 2014, she allegedly received
$70,000 through the same account.
The anti-graft agency said the judge received $55,000 on March 27,
2014, and another $55,000 on October 14, 2014 while $20,000 was received
through the same account on June 19, 2014.
The commission alleged in the charge sheet that Ofili-Ajumogobia
also received $20,000 on October 13, 2014 while she got an additional
$50,000 on December 20, 2014.
The judge allegedly received $50,000 on November 21, 2014 and
$30,000 between June 17 and June 19, 2015 through the same Diamond Bank
account as well as another $10,000 on July 6, 2015.
She allegedly received $20,000 on June 11, 2013; $30,000 on February 11, 2014 and $150,000 on March 29, 2014.
The EFCC accused the judge of receiving $68, 800 through her Access Bank account between August 11, 2011 and March 27, 2012.
She also allegedly received $35,000 through the same account between April 30 and September 3, 2012.
The charges were said to be contrary to Section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No 11, 2011.
Some of the charges read, “That you, Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi
Ofili-Ajumogobia, between the 11th day of August 2011 and 27th day of
March 2012, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court,
being a judge of the Federal High Court, enriched yourself with a total
sum of $68,000 through your account (0002649223) domiciled in Access
Bank Plc, so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you
cannot reasonably explain in relation to your lawful income.
“That you, Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia, between
the 10th and 30th day of May 2013, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of
this honourable court, being a judge of the Federal High Court, enriched
yourself with a total sum of $130,000 through your account (0032091183)
domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc, so as to have a significant increase in
your assets that you cannot reasonably explain in relation to you your
lawful income.
“That you, Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia, on or
about the 20th day of December 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction
of this honourable court, being a judge of the Federal High Court,
enriched yourself with a total sum of $50,000 through your account
(0032091183) domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc, so as to have a significant
increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain in relation
to you your lawful income.”
The judge allegedly received over N40m in mysterious deposits made by some companies.
She was also accused of lying to the anti-graft agency. It was
gathered that Ofili-Ajumogobia had told detectives around 7.16pm on
October 19, 2016 that she would not be able to honour an invitation
because she was admitted to Golden Cross Hospital, Bourdillon, Ikoyi.
However, the judge was not there when detectives checked the
hospital.mShe was also accused of forging a deed of assignment between
County City Bricks Development Company Limited and Niger & Colive
Limited in 2010.
It looks like the EFCC is ready to take the fight to the judge as
the government has hired a former prosecutor at the United Nations
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Mr. Segun Jegede. The
Federal Government engaged him to handle the trial of a Justice of the
Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who is to be arraigned before a
Federal High Court in Abuja today (Monday).
No comments:
Post a Comment