Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Mr. Bello Okandeji, stated this in the trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Rickey Tarfa for allegedly offering gratification to two Federal High Court judges: Yinusa and Justices Hyeladzira Nganjiwa. Yunusa and Nganjiwa are facing separate trials in Lagos High Courts for alleged corruption, among others. At the proceedings, Tarfa fielded Okandeji to testify in his defence. Led in evidence by Tarfa’s counsel, Mr. Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), Okandeji said he recognised Tarfa as one of the counsel who appear before the Federal High Court in Lagos, daily. Okandeji said he was not aware of any official complaint lodged at the Federal High Court against Justices Nganjiwa and Yunusa. He added that he did not know Justice Nganjiwa before his appointment as a judge, but knew that Justice Yunusa previously worked at the industrial court before his appointment as a judge. Okandeji also told the court in his evidence-in-chief that only the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the administrative judges in different divisions of the court were in charge of assignment of cases to judges. Under cross-examination by EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, Okandeji said he was aware that the National Judicial Council (NJC) had sent a letter to President Buhari, recommending Justice Yunusa for dismissal, “but the President has yet to sign it.” Asked if he would be surprised to learn that Justice Yunusa’s suspension had to do with the way he handled a case filed before him by Tarfa, Okandeji said, “What I know is that there was a petition before the NJC.” Asked whether constant private communications between a judge and a lawyer who has a case before him was part of the Federal High Court’s policy, Okandeji answered, “My Lord, it is not in our rule.” He also affirmed that the court’s rule does not permit a serving judge to open and maintain a bank account in the name of a company. He affirmed also that it was improper for a judge to recommend a lawyer to a defendant before him and receive payment for the services. He further affirmed that if the Chief Judge or the administrative judge were aware of the relationship between Tarfa and Justice Yunusa, they would not have assigned Tarfa’s cases to the judge. He went on to highlight several payments made by Tarfa into the bank accounts of the two judges, reading from Tarfa’s statement of account, which had been admitted as an exhibit. The case continues on Tuesday]]>

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