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Buhari’s lawyer gave Justice Ademola N500k gift, says witness

Published

10 years ago

February 22, 2017

An official of the SSS standing as witness in the trial of a Federal High Court Justice Adeniyi Ademola has told the court one of the lawyers defending President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate suit gave the judge N500,000 for his daughter’s wedding.

Babatunde Adepoju (the witness), however, said on Tuesday that his investigation didn’t cover the purpose of the gift—which he said couldn’t have been a bribe.

Justice Ademola is facing trial for alleged abuse of office. His wife Olubowale and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, are also facing corruption charges alongside.

The lawyer to the president then, Kola Awodehin, was sent to deliver the gift which Agi collected and delivered to the justice.

No fewer than 10 suits challenging the eligibility of Mr. Buhari to contest the 2015 presidential election were filed before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

Two of the plaintiffs, Chukwunweike Okafor and Max Ozoaka wanted the court to compel INEC to delist Buhari’s name from the register and nullified his candidacy because he could not produce the Form C requirement by INEC.

The suits were before the general election in April 2015.

On Tuesday the prosecution closed its case against the justice, after presenting all its witnesses.

Ademola’s defence counsel Onyeachi Ikpeazu, then told the court that his client would like to make a no-case-submission.

The trial Judg Jude Okeke later adjourned the matter till March 15 for hearing of the application.