By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday withdrew the criminal charge against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Godwin Obla who has been stranding trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos, alongside a former judge of a Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia.
On the other hand, the Anti-graft agency re-arraigned Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia on 15- counts of an amended charge of money laundering before Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
When the matter was mentioned on Wednesday, the EFCC prosecuting counsel Usman Umar Buhari informed the court that EFCC has filed an amended charge before the court which excludes the name of Godwin Obla (SAN), saying therefore that he should be discharged while the amended charge should be read to Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia for her plea to be taken.
In the circumstance, Dr Joshua Musa appearing with G. Ogebe for Godwin Obla (SAN), urged the court to discharge and acquit Godwin Obla .
Consequently, the presiding Judge Mohammed Liman discharged and acquitted him, and ordered that the amended charge be read to Ajumogobia for her plea to be taken.
In the 15 count amended charge filed before the court by Usman Umar Buhari and read to Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia, it was alleged that between May 21, 2014 and July 11, 2014, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia indirectly concealed the sum of N17million in the Diamond bank account of Nigel & Colive Limited opened and operated by her, which sum she reasonably ought to have known forms part of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and unlawful enrichment.
It was also stated that between May 30, 2013 and June 5, 2015, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia indirectly retained the total sum of $655,000 Dollars in her account number 0032091183 domicile in Diamond bank Plc which sum she reasonably ought to have known forms part of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment.
On June 5, 2012, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was alleged to have indirectly retained the sum of N18 million from Arkleem Oil and Gas, while on the October 21, 2016, she knowingly made a false statement where she stated as follows, “On the 11th of July, 2014 the same family that purchased my land made a further payment of N4million. That same 11th July, 2014, a further payment of N3million was paid in as further payment on account of the total price of N33million. Also on the same day the same person paid in N5million 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 the exercise of his duty.
The offences alleged to have been committed by Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia are contrary to Sections 15(2)(a) (b)(d),15(3),39(2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act as amended and punishable under the same Act.
She pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Thereafter, the prosecutor, Mr Usman, who told the court that he intends to call seven witnesses, asked for a trial date, in view of the plea of not guilty of the defendant. However, the defence counsel Barrister Mobolaji Kuti urged the court to allow the defendant to continue on the existing bail conditions.
Justice Liman, while adjourning till April 21 and 28, 2021 for the commencement of trial, ordered that the defendant should retain her bail conditions.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had on Thursday, April 18, 2019, arraigned Ajumogobia before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on 18-count charge, bordering on breach of trust, false statement and unlawful enrichment. Later in the course of the trial, Justice Rilwan Aikawa who was formerly trying the case, recused himself from the case.