EFCC displays explicit text messages between embattled SAN and court officials

EMBATTLED Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike was on Tuesday confronted by a series of text messages he allegedly sent to court officials whom the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused him of using to influence some of his cases before Federal high court judges.

Nwobike who denied the allegations however explained that it was his practice to liase with court officials in order to follow up on the cases filed by his law firm.

Nwobike is being tried by the EFCC on an 11-count charge bordering on perverting the course of justice and offering gratification to public officials.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Nwobike offered gratifications to some judges of the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court to influence them to act contrary to their official capacities.

The EFCC also claimed that Nwobike engaged in sending illegal text messages with four registrars of the Federal High Court in a bid to unduly influence his cases being tried by the judges.

In his defense, Nwobike however told the court money he allegedly gave to the judges as gratification were assistance, adding that the judges were old friends who he had been acquainted with while in University which was long before they were assigned as judges

However at Tuesday’s proceedings, the EFCC on a projector showed a compact disc (Exhibit P21) allegedly containing text messages from Nwobike’s seized mobile phone (Exhibit P18).

Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecution counsel of the EFCC during proceedings on Tuesday, accused Nwobike of sending text messages to Mr Baruwa, a clerk of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

He claimed that Nwobike was aware that Baruwa worked with one Mr Jide, a Deputy Registrar of the court.

Responding, Nwobike said “I know Mr Baruwa, he is a clerk of the Federal High Court, I do not know he works with Mr Jide, he told me that his office is directly opposite Mr Jide’s office.

“I have had course to send messages to Mr Baruwa in the course of my duties just like any other legal practitioner,” Nwobike said.

Confronting the SAN further, Oyedepo showed him text messages in which details of lawsuits were allegedly sent by Nwobike to Baruwa in a bid to assign the cases to some specific judges.

“On page 3984 of exhibit P21, there was a text from you to Mr Jide in which you mentioned a case AMCON V Bizel Finance and Investment Ltd.

“At 12.59pm on Sep. 4, 2015, you forwarded the suit details of First Bank V O.P.I International Ltd, you mentioned that the suits should be assigned to Justice Buba.

“In the suit between Skye Bank Plc and Broke yard Marine Oil and Gas Services Ltd, you forwarded the suit details to Mr Jide as shown on the screen.

“As at the time you forwarded the suit details to Mr Jide, Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services Ltd were under investigation by the EFCC.

“The Kurya J you mentioned in that text message is Hon Justice Kurya of the Federal High Court,” he said.

Denying Oyedepo’s accusations, Nwobike said “The text messages I sent were just confirmation text messages.

“On whether I knew that Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services were under investigation by the EFCC, I don’t know because I don’t work for the EFCC,” Nwobike said.

Oyedepo further accused the SAN of obstructing the prosecution of Dr Femi Thomas, a client of Nwobike who was allegedly caught at the Muritala International Airport with $200million dollars.

“On Nov. 11, 2015 you sent a message to Mr Jide of the Federal High Court about a criminal charge filed against your client Dr Femi Thomas asking that it should be assigned to Justice Seidu.

“This suit was eventually assigned to Justice Seidu and as at 1.23pm on the day you sent the text,” Oyedepo said.

The EFCC also accused the SAN of undue interference in a case involving Mrs Beauty Akpobolokemi and the anti-graft agency.

Beauty Akpobolokemi is the wife of Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi, the former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), standing trial over alleged fraud.

Accusing the SAN further of obstructing justice, Oyedepo said Nwobike received photocopies of EFCC charges that were not yet filed in court.

“Mr Baruwa sent a text message acknowledging handing over the charges to Mr Felix Deckon, your litigation officer.

“A charge that is not filed was given to you by your litigation officer without you applying for a certified true copy,” Oyedepo said.

Denying the accusations, Nwobike said “I did not apply for a certified true copy and I did not receive photocopy of the charge. I only received the charge when it was served on my clients.”

Justice Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case to 10.3am on July 12 for continuation of trial.