EFCC’s detective and witness Daniel Danladi has revealed how judges and judicial officers, allegedly received bribes from Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, standing trial before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Danladi, in his Extraction Report, said Nwobike sent 14, 317 text messages to four judges and other judicial workers offering them cash gratifications and inducements when the lawyer had cases before them.
The four judges allegedly involved in the gratification scam are Justice Mohammed Yinusa, Justice H. A. Ngajiwa and Justice Musa Kurya, all of the Federal High Court, Lagos and Justice James Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court, Lagos.
Danladi said some of the text messages in the report contained details of bank transactions and messages Nwobike sent to the judicial officers and judges.
“The result of the extraction report clearly showed that the defendant was conveying money to judges of the various courts.” He said.
“He also wielded influence over which judge should hear his cases.This is contrary to the statement that the defendant gave to the EFCC that the only judicial officer he gave financial assistance to was Hon. Justice Yinusa.”
Apart from these judges the Nwobike was in regular phone contact with one Jide and Baruwa of the Federal High Court and one Helen Ogunleye, who is the registrar to Justice Musa Kurya, Danladi added
“On November 5, 2015, the defendant sent a text message to Jide stating he wanted his matter which was Timi Akpobolokemi and others Vs the EFCC with suit number FHC/L/CS/1665/2015 to go before Hon. Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.
“He acknowledged receipt of the text message and some days later the matter was assigned to Ofili-Ajumogobia.
“In FRN Vs Dr. Oluwafemi Thomas and others, he suggested that that matter should go to Hon. Justice Saidu with Jide confirming receipt of the text.
“In a matter in which EFCC was a party, the defendant sent a text to Baruwa of the Federal High Court stating that he wanted the matter to be assigned to Justice Abang’s court.
“Investigations revealed that the matter was assigned to Justice Abang as agreed between them.”
In another instance, Danladi said, Nwobike influenced matters that the anti-graft agency had at the Federal High Court in which he was counsel for the opposing party.
“In text message exchanges with Jide the defendant influenced some cases including; Simon Adomene V the EFCC with suit number FHC/L/CS/1471/2015 and Dr. Oluwafemi Thomas V The EFCC with suit number FHC/L/CS/1445/2015.
“He suggested that these cases, as well as some others, should be assigned to Justice Yinusa, our investigations revealed that they were assigned to the judge.
“On March 20, 2015, the defendant paid N750,000 into the UBA account of Hon. Justice Yinusa and a few days later a court order was granted by the judge in the defendant’s favor.
“Our investigations revealed that the defendant paid money into the First Bank Account of Hon. Justice James Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court.
“We wrote to First Bank where the judge operates three different bank account, and they confirmed such payments.
“On December 29, 2015, payment of N100,000 was made into the Justice Agbadu-Fishim’s First Bank account with number 2006900216.
“On December 2, 2015, N150,000 and N100,000 was paid into the judge’s account with number 3008199491 and on September 10, 2015, N100,000 was paid into that account by the defendant.
“Our investigations revealed that the defendant gave Helen Ogunleye, the registrar to Justice Musa Kurya, N250,000 as well as undisclosed sums to her boss the judge.
“Investigations revealed that money was also paid to Justice H.A. Ngajiwa by the defendant through a company account owned by the judge.”
Reading out loud the text messages exchanged between Nwobike and the registrar, the witness said:
“The text message sent on March 25, 2014, revealed the registrar asking for financial assistance from the SAN for her brother who wanted to study medicine in Russia.
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