By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Embattled former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia was set free on April 16 by an Ikeja High Court on charges bordering on corrupt enrichment and money laundering in sums of N35 million and 525,000 USD.
She was re-arrested shortly after the ruling delivered by Justice Hakeem Oshodi as the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission waited within the court premiaes to effect her arrest.
On April 18 Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was re-arraigned before Justice Mohammed Rilwan Aikawa of a Federal High Court Lagos Nigeria on 17-count charge bordering on corrupt enrichment, and money laundering.
She pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
The 10 out of the 17-counts charge read to the judge who has been recommended to President Mohammadu Buhari by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for dismissal are as follows:
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia and Godwin Obla SAN on or about the 21st day of May, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to indirectly conceal the sum of N5,000,000 (Five million Naira) in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel & Colive Ltd which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections18(a), 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 11th day of July, in Lagos Nigeria, within the juridiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly concealed the total sum of N12,000,000 (Twelve million Naira) in the Diamond Bank Account of Nigel & Colive Ltd opened and operated by you, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia between the 3rd and 30th day of May, 2013, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly retained the total sum of $150,000 ( One hundred and fifty thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 11th June 2013, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly retained the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 11th February 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained the total sum of $30,000 (Thirty Thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Honourable Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 27th March, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly retained the total sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Act 2011, as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 2nd of June 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly retained the sum of $70,000 ( Seventy Thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia, on or about the 14th October, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly retained the sum of $55,000 (Fifty five Thousand United State Dollars) in your account No 0032091183 domiciled in Diamond Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 5th day of June, 2012, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a judge of the Federal High Court, indirectly retained the sum of N18,000,000 ( Eighteen Million Naira) from Arkleen Oil and Gas Ltd in your account No 0002112967 domiciled in Access Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Hon. Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia on or about the 21st day of October, 2016, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly made a false statement wherein you stated as follws: “On the 11th July 2014, the same family that purchased my land made a further payment of N4,000,000. That same 11th July, 2014, a further payment of N3,000,000, was paid in as further payment on Account of the total price of N33,000,000. Also on same day, the same person paid in N5,000,000 which was final payment of the purchase price for the sold land in Rita Ajumogobia Street Asaba ” to Lawal Abdullahi, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in the course of excercise of his duty and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 39(2)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2014.
The charge was signed by counsel to EFCC Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa, and three others.
