By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the embattled judge of Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili Ajumogobia before Justice Mohammed Rilwan Aikawa of a Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos Nigeria.
She was docked on a fresh 18- count charge bordering on unlawful enrichment, money laundering to the tune of 525,000 United State Dollars (USD) and N35million, false statement and criminal breach of trust.
However, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Obla who was to be arraigned along with Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was conspicously absent from court.
Before the arraignment of the judge, the prosecution counsel Mr Rotimi Oyedepo while referring to the non-availability of Obla who is the second defendant in the charge, said: ” My lord as it is now, I can say that the 2nd defendant (Godwin Obla) is at large.
“My lord upon the filing of this charge, I personally called the counsel representing the 2nd defendant, Chief I.A. Adedipe (SAN), he told me that he could not reach him.
“The Commission also took steps to contact him and we discovered that he switched off his handset. I urge your lordship to make an order to issue a summon to him to appear before the court on next adjourned date.
“On Justice Ajumogobia (1st defendant), Oyedepo said the Commission has been able to produce her in court, adding that subject to the court’s discretion, the charge can be read for her to take a plea.
“Since trial is not commencing today, we shall make effort to produce the 2nd defendant before trial commences.”
The team of defence for 1st defendant led by Mr O. Akon (SAN)
said that subject court’s discretion, his client is ready to take her plea.
The EFCC prosecutor Mr Oyedepo moved the court for the 1st defendant to take her plea.
The 17-count charge was read to her and she pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Oyedepo: “My lord, in view of the plea of the defendant,we urge your lordship to give us a trail date and also asking that the 1st defendant be remanded in prison custody.
“For the 2nd defendant, we are yet to get him. May I ask your lordship for an order directing him to appear before the court to take his plea.The defence counsel, Mr Akon in his submission, made an oral application urging the court to grant bail to the 1st defendant. The oral application was made in view of the special circumstances surrounding the case, adding that the court should take judicial notice that 1st defendant is a judicial officer.
Akoni: “I want your lordship to take a judicial notice that the 1st defendant is a judicial officer.
“Even the information in the charge testify to the fact that the 1st defendant is a judicial officer.
“The 1st defendant remains a judicial officer until the President approves the recommendation of NJC.”
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Aikawa admitted Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia to bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum.
The surety should be a civil servant not below Grade Level 16 from either Federal or State civil service.
Alternatively, the surety should be a person with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The 1st defendant should deposit her international passport to the DCR of the court latest 6 pm Thursday .
The defendant was released on bail to her counsel and the bail to be perfected within 10 days excluding the public holidays failure which her release to her counsel will be revoked.
The matter was adjourned till May 15 for trial.
Meanwhile the court has ordered the issuance of summons to Godwin Obla to appear in court on next adjourned date to take his plea.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court had on Tuesday struck out the suit earlier filed against Justice Ajumogobia on the ground that the prosecution jumped the gun by not allowing the National Judicial Commission (NJC) play its constitutional role of investigating the charges brought against the judge as a judicial officer before charging her to court.
