AGF accuses Judge of N8m car gift using son

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has accused Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja of accepting an N8million car as gratification from a lawyer, Joe Odey Agi.

Justice Ademola, 63, allegedly accepted “a BMW saloon 320i, valued at N8m” through his son, Ademide Ademola.

He is also accused of attempting to obtain N25m gratification from Sani Shaibu Teidi with a view to showing him favour.

Teidi, a former director, Pension Accounts Office, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, was charged before the judge in 2013 with alleged involvement in a pension scam.

The allegations are contained in a fresh charge filed against Justice Ademola and his wife, Olabowale by the office of the AGF.

The AGF accused the wife of accepting N30m on behalf of her husband from a law firm known as Messrs Joe Agi and Associates.

In the 11-count charge filed on December 1, the couple are accused, in count one, of conspiring, between March 11 and 24, 2015, to receive gratification from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through their accounts 206/174191/2/0 and 201/110160/1/0 domiciled at GTBank Plc, and committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

Mrs. Ademola is accused in counts two, three and four of receiving N10m gratification thrice from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through her GTBank account on behalf of her husband between March 11 and 24, 2015, an offence contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

Justice Ademola is accused in counts five and six of “dealing with property subject matter of an offence” by transferring N85m and N90m on February 24, 2014, through his account 286/174191/2/0 in GTBank to Franco Dan Parker, “which forms the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

The judge is accused in count seven of attempting, on February 21, 2014, to obtain gratification of N25m from Sani Shaibu Teidi “as a motive for showing favour in the exercise of your official functions, contrary to Section 118(b) of the Penal Code Act”.

He is in count eight accused of receiving gratification of “a BMW saloon 320i, valued at N8m from Joe Odey Agi, through your son, Ademide Ademola, an act contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.

In count nine, 10 and 11, the judge is accused of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition (one Avar Magnum 608, Avar Magnum 6284) and 35 rounds of live ammunition (catridges) without valid licences an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provisions) Act 2004.

The planned arraignment of the couple before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama was stalled yesterday, owing to the inability of the prosecution to effect service of the charge on the defendants.

When the case was called, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Umar, told the court that in exercising his powers under Section 174 of the Constitution, and Section 104 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), the AGF has instructed that a private lawyer, Segun Jegede lead the prosecution of the case.

When he took over, Jegede, a former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), told the court that the court’s bailiff was unable to serve the defendants the charge.

Relying on the provision of Section 382(5) of the ACJA, Jegede sought the court’s permission to serve copies of the charge on the defendants’ lawyer, for onward transfer to them.

He equally applied to withdraw an earlier charge filed by the prosecution on November 14, 2016.

Defence lawyer Jeph Njikonye, did not object to the prosecution’s withdrawal of the earlier charge.

He also expressed his readiness to accept copies of the new charge for his clients.

Justice Jude Okeke struck out the charge withdrawn by the prosecution and directed Njikonye to accept copies of the fresh charge for his clients.

Justice Okeke adjourned till Tuesday for arraignment.