OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, arrested a former Federal High Court Judge, Justice Rita Ofili Ajumogobia, after an Ikeja High Court struck out a 30 count charge bordering on corruption against her.
Ajumogobia’s relief was temporary, as the operatives numbering about fifteen laid sieges for the former Judge in the court premises after she stepped out shortly after the charges against her were dropped.
Sighting the armed operatives, Ajumogobia who was wearing a heavy plaster cast on her right leg, fled back upstairs to Justice Hakeem Oshodi’s court where she sought refuge.
Ajumogobia notified the court of her impending arrest but Justice Oshodi said that there was nothing he could do any more, as the case file had immediately been closed.
Undeterred, the operatives waited until the court rose, compelling Ajumogobia to leave the courtroom after which she was escorted into a waiting white Hilux van.
Earlier before Ajumogobia was arrested, Justice Oshodi had dismissed and struck out the 30 count charge bordering on corruption and unlawful enrichment by a public officer against Ajumogobia and her co-accused, Godwin Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Justice Oshodi dismissed the suit against Ajumogobia filed by the EFCC after describing it as an absolute waste of judicial time.
Tribune Online recalls that the EFCC had arraigned Ajumogobia who still a serving Judge and Obla a former EFCC prosecutor on November 2016 on a 30 count charge where they both pleaded not guilty.
ALSO READ: Absence of EFCC counsel stalls Ajumogobia, Obla’s trial
They were both granted bail on self recognisance.
The anti-graft agency on February 2018, amended the charges reducing it to 24 counts and the duo were rearraigned.
Specifically, Ajumogobia was said to have tried to pervert the course of justice by collecting N5 million through her account 1015319084 domiciled in UBA from Obla.
Obla was also accused of giving gratification of N5m to a public officer (Ajumogobia) by paying the money directly into her UBA account.
The anti-graft agency accused the Judge of enriching herself with N8m which she could not give a reasonable explanation for.
In the course of the trial, the EFCC through its lead Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo called a total of 14 witnesses, before closing its case.
When it was time for Ajumogobia to open her defence, she filed a no case submission, while challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try her.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Oshodi expressed dismay at EFCC for wasting the time of the court.
“The Prosecution wasted the time of the court knowing fully well that the court lacks jurisdiction as at the time of calling a 12th witness, but still went ahead to amend the charge to call two more witnesses.
“The EFCC was aware of the Court of Appeal’s decision on Justice Hadezia Nganjiwa where it had reached a decision that any attempt by any government agency to try a judicial officer without first waiting for the verdict of the NJC’s disciplinary committee will amount to a breach of the constitution.
“Going by the decision of the Court of Appeal, continuing with this case would be an exercise in futility. This decision has rendered useless all that has been sone so far.
“The prosecution knew that this was an exercise in nullity. They should have brought an application to have the charges dropped, but they still persisted like a raging bull.
“The prosecution, in this case, admitted that they jumped the gun,” the Judge ruled.
The judge also frowned at the judicial system for not making provisions to fine the prosecution for wasting the judicious time of the court.
In the ruling, Justice Oshodi pointed out that the anti-graft agency jumped the gun for not waiting for the National Judicial Council to dismiss the judge before filling charges against the defendant.
“This case is hereby struck out and dismissed, “the Judge ruled.
One of the counts against Ajumogobia reads: “That you, Rita Ngozi Ajumogobia being a judge at that time, collected $20,000 through your Diamond Bank account.”
Ajumogobia was further accused of collecting $150,000, $70,000, $20,000, $55,000, $50,000, $30,000,$10,000, $68,000, $78,000, all collected through her Diamond bank account between 2012 and 2015.
Ajumogobia was further accused of collecting N7m from one Paul Iloba Obanuwa while also collecting another N18m from one Saheed Danladi Abu.
The EFCC further accused her of forging a deed of assignment purportedly signed by one Charles Musa Esq.
Ajumogobia on 19th of October 2016, was also accused of lying to the EFCC that she was critically ill and admitted Gold Cross Hospital in Bourdillon in Ikoyi in order to evade arrest.
Ajumogobia has since been dismissed as a judge on the orders of the National Judicial Commission.
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