AMID the gale of unresolved corruption allegations trailing the judiciary in recent times, one Carl Isioma Moeteke of Magistrate Court 1, Warri, Delta State, is facing allegations of collecting N380,000 and parking shirts, among others to subvert justice in two separate cases he has allegedly handled.
But the accused magistrate, in a phone chat with TribuneOnline on Monday in Warri, denied any aorta of truth in the allegations.
TribuneOnline learnt that the magistrate allegedly perverted justice in a case involving the proprietor of Integrity Professionals (IPAS), who claims to be an agent of the Chartered Institute of Administration (CIA), Mr Bright Akinyemi and the Delta State Commissioner of Police.
One Christopher Sola Omagbemi, who instituted the case against Akinyemi at the magistrate court, told journalists in Warri that Akinyemi defrauded him after he was promised admission to CIA.
It was gathered that after Omagbemi approached the court for a redress, Akinyemi and one Sarah Edema, who is also a staff of Integrity Professionals, were consequently arrested and arraigned before Magistrate Moeteke of Magistrate Court 1, Warri for conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.
The accused were arraigned before the court in Charge No: MW/166C/2016 by the Police B – Division in Warri after the investigation reportedly proved that Akinyemi was allegedly involved in the business of duping unsuspecting victims by disguising as an official of CIA.
TribuneOnline gathered that Omagbemi, as directed by Akinyemi, went to IPAS’s office in Warri, paid N5,000 to Sarah Edema and was issued a receipt and was told to check back three weeks after to pick up the CIA form.
But on his return to pick up the form three weeks after, Omagbemi allegedly received a text message from FedEx, Warri that he should call a number which he did.
Omagbemi was thereafter directed by Akinyemi to FedEx, Warri to collect his parcel, but on getting there, he was told that the text message he received didn’t emanate from FedEx, thus fueling suspicion that he might have been defrauded.
The victim, Omagbemi, reported the incident to the police at B – Division in Warri and the suspect, Akinyemi was arrested and charged to court after allegedly confessing to the crime when investigations were carried out.
The court charge sheet obtained by TribuneOnline read thus: ”That you Bright Akinyemi ’M’, Sarah Edema ’F’ and others now at large on the 31st day of March, 2015 at 253 Warri/Sapele road by Deco Junction, Warri in the Warri Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Obtaining money with false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap C1 Vol 1, laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Bright Akinyemi ’M’, Sarah Edema ’F’ on the same date at the aforementioned Magisterial District did obtain the sum of #5,000.00 from one Omagbemi Christopher under the false pretence that you were going to process a Chartered Institute of Administration form for the said Omagbemi Christopher and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap C21 Vol 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria,2006.
“That you Bright Akinyemi ’M’, Sarah Edema’F’ and one other now at large on the 18th of December 2010, at the aforementioned Magisterial District did have in your possession Greater Heights Michael form with different signatures which you cannot give satisfactory accounts as to how you came about them and thereby committed an Offence punishable under Section 430(1) of the Criminal Code Cap C21, Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.”
It was gathered that while the case was ongoing, and Omagbemi was being represented by State Counsels, Akinyemi had allegedly “settled” the Chief Magistrate to discharge and acquit him and Sarah Edema of the offence of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence instituted against them.
The development, it was gathered, ran contrary to the advice given by the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) which noted in its legal advice that the accused had a case to answer.
The complainant, Omagbemi, who expressed reservations on the ruling delivered in his absence, told journalists that the Magistrate legally “beheaded justice” in his case.
He disclosed that the unjust ruling had made him lose faith in the Nigeria judicial system, but expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the police operatives especially at the B-Division, Warri.
Omagbemi also alleged that a “mouth watery” sum of money exchanged hands between the Magistrate and Akinyemi, who had boasted to him (Omagbemi) that he was a “poor man” and as such his case against him would not see the light of the day.
He said true to the statement, the accused, Akinyemi, who was earlier being remanded at the Nigerian Medium Prison, at Okere in Warri by the court, was suddenly discharged and acquitted of the alleged charges after having allegedly bought the magistrate over.
The complainant, who said a formal petition against Magistrate Moeteke was underway to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for misconduct, noted that the police carried out a thorough investigation of the case before the accused was charged to Moeteke’s court, but instead of dispensing justice according to the law, the Magistrate perverted justice after allegedly receiving gratification.
However, another alleged victim of perversion of justice by Magistrate Moeteke, one Cynthia Igbigbi, who was allegedly charged with human trafficking, has revealed that Magistrate Moeteke collected N370, 000 in addition to fees she paid in every adjournment date from her.
TribuneOnline reliably gathered that the money was transacted through a proxy account named: Osademe Courage Chukwuwike domiciled in Eco Bank Plc with account number 0054723532.
In a document sourced by TribuneOnline, one tranche of N40, 000 was paid as part payment of the bribe into the said account for onward transfer to the magistrate in spite of knowing full well that the case lacked evidence.
The documents revealed other transactions of the money made by Igbigbi to the account as payment of the bribe demanded by the Magistrate before her case, with which the victim was arrested and charged, was struck out for lack of evidence.
Igbigbi said besides the N370, 000 and other miscellaneous payments allegedly made to Magistrate Moeteke, she also bought packing shirts and suits for him (Magistrate) through his contact man who regularly called her on phone to verify the payment to strike out a case she ordinarily would have won for lack of evidence.
The magistrate was said to have threatened Igbigbi’s husband to expedite action in the payment of the N370, 000bribes or risk going to jail over a case said to be lacking in evidence.
Meanwhile, when contacted on phone by TribuneOnline on Monday, Magistrate Moeteke hesitantly said his accusers were only out to rubbish his hard-earned reputation, denying ever knowing the duo.
“No aorta of truth in those stories at all. I didn’t see them; I don’t know them. I just did my matter the way I was supposed to do them.
“In fact, one online publication contacted me on this. Well, I don’t read them. There’s no aorta of truth in them,” he averred.
When asked if the evidence, of bank transactions made to the account of his proxy, were not tenable, Magistrate Moeteke, enthused that “there’s really no evidence.”
“I don’t know anything about the allegations. One said they paid money into my account. There’s really no evidence.
“You know by the nature of our work, I’m not supposed to grant a press conference. I report to my bosses. If they call me to order, I give my own explanation.”
On whether he’s not worried about the news flying around, he said: “But I’m a bit worried now as the news keep parrying me all over the place.
“That’s very very unfair. I’ll begin to read in between the lines, now,” he concluded.