EFCC Arrests Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia As Court Strikes Out Corruption Charges

Her arrest took place in the premises of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday. Delivering the judgment, Justice Hakeem Oshodi held that based on the judicial precedent set by the case of Justice Nganjiwa V. FRN, the High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit as the EFCC “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge. He noted that in spite of the anti-graft commission being aware of the decision in Mr Nganjiwa’s case, regarding the proper procedure to discipline erring judicial officers, the EFCC still went ahead with the trial by calling more witnesses. “As at Monday, December 11, 2017, the EFCC was aware of the decision reached by the Court of Appeal in Nganjiwa vs FRN. As at that date, the amended information was yet to be filed and the 12th prosecution witness was still giving evidence. “The prosecution persisted like a bull running amok and still called two more witnesses and precious judicial time was wasted. “We have not found a way in the judicial atmosphere to discipline or penalise an agency of government through fines or costs. “In conclusion, the court has no jurisdiction to hear the first amended charge of February 21, 2018 of 31 counts. This suit is hereby struck out.” NAN reports that while delivering his judgment in the Nganjiwa’s case, Justice Obaseki Adejumo of the Court of Appeal held that the EFCC does not have power to investigate and prosecute serving judicial officers. Mr Adejumo said that the National Judicial Council (NJC) must first strip the appellant (Hon. Justice Nganjiwa) of his judicial standing before he could be charged. The Court of Appeal judge had further stated that serving judicial officers can only be prosecuted for offence like murder, stealing etc done outside the discharge of their duties. It said once the offence was committed in the discharge of their duties, they must first be tried by NJC. During proceedings on January 25, Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecuting counsel for the EFCC via a written address dated December 13, 2018, urged the court to strike out the charge because the EFCC did not charge Ofili-Ajumogobia in line with the NJC guidelines. Robert Clarke, the defence counsel to Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia, in an application dated Nov. 27, 2018 had said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, and had urged the court to discharge and acquit his client. Ifedayo Adedipe, the defence counsel to Mr Godwin Obla, Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia’s co-defendant, urged the court to separate the joint charges of the defendants. Addressing the issues raised in the submissions of the defence counsel on Jan. 25, Justice Oshodi in Tuesday’s ruling, said court cannot discharge Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia, neither can the charges against Mr Obla be severed. “The order of discharge for the first defendant cannot hold. The court cannot also serve a charge as proposed by the counsel to the second defendant. “The charge has to be amended and the second defendant has to retake his plea,” he said. Previously, on September 14, 2018, the EFCC had closed its case against the embattled former judge. In proving its case of corruption against her, the EFCC had presented 14 witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court. The anti-graft commission in an amended charge dated Feb. 23, 2018, had alleged that Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia had illegally received a sum of 793,800 dollars in several tranches from different sources between 2012 and 2015. On his part, Mr Obla was alleged by the EFCC to have offered a sum of N5 million as gratification to Mrs Ofili-Ajumogobia, so as to pervert the course of justice. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that about 10 officials of the EFCC surrounded Ofili-Ajumogobia as she attempted to leave the courtroom at 10.24 a.m. after the ruling by Justice Hakeem Oshodi. Upon sighting the officials, the judge made a hasty retreat and went back upstairs into Justice Oshodi’s courtroom to seek the protection of the court from the EFCC officials. Justice Oshodi, when notified about the development, said there was nothing he could do, as “the file had been closed.” The embattled former judge and her husband who was with her, were observed frantically making various phone calls. The EFCC officials however allowed Ofili-Ajumogobia’s co-defendant, Mr. Godwin Obla, SAN, to exit the court premises. Immediately Justice Oshodi’s court rose, Ofili-Ajumogobia was apprehended at 11.47 a.m. by some EFCC officials who whisked her away in a white Hilux van with Abuja number plate BWR637AT. NAN reports that earlier, Justice Oshodi, in a ruling, had struck out the 31 counts filed by the EFCC against Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit. The judge ruled that, based on the judicial precedent set by the case of Justice Nganjiwa Vs FRN, the EFCC had “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge. Justice Oshodi noted that the anti-graft commission had not followed the procedures set by the National Judicial Council in disciplining erring judicial officers. (NAN)]]>