BARELY a week after their recall by the National Judicial Council, NJC, two of the six judges accused of corrupt enrichment in the course of their duties, were on Thursday, June 8, slammed with charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before a Lagos State high court. The judges are Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa and Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who were among those recalled by the NJC.
The charges filed against them borders on perverting justice, breach of public trust and money laundering, among others. While a four-count charge was filed against Yunusa, Nganjiwa is facing a 14-count charge. According to the EFCC, which filed the charges, no fewer than 33 witnesses have been assembled to testify in the prosecution of the two judges. In the charges against Yunusa, the anti-graft agency alleged that he attempting to pervert the course of justice contrary “to section 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No.11, 2011.” The judge was said to have between February and September, 2015 within the jurisdiction of the court being a public official to wit: attempted to pervert the course of justice by engaging in constant private and confidential telephone communications with Rickey Tarfa, SAN, counsel to the applicants in: (i) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/714/2015 between Mr. Adewale Adeniyi v EFCC & 2 Others; (ii) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rena Prestige Industries Ltd & Anor. v EFCC & 2 Others; (iii)Suit No. FHC/L/CS/716/2015 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria Ltd & 3 Others v EFCC & 2 others, during the period he presided over the said suits as a judge of the federal high court, Ikoyi.
Count two said: “Corruption by public official contrary to section 63(l}{b)(ii) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No.11, 2011.” Particulars of offence: That Justice Yunusa on or about May 14, 2015, within the jurisdiction of the court being a public official to wit: a Judge of the Federal High Court agreed to receive the sum of N 1.5million, paid into your UBA account No. 1005055617 by Esther Agbo, staff of the firm of Rickey Tarfa & Co. in order to afterwards give decisions in favour of the chambers of Rickey Tarfa & Co. in cases handled by the said chambers before you as a judge of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.”
Some of the charges against Nganjiwa said: “That you, Justice Nganjiwa between January 18 and December 16, 2013, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with an aggregate sum of $ 144,000 through your account No. 328/446178/2/1/0 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.”
“That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about March 27, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the sum of $ 10,000 through your account No. 328/446178/2/1/0 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about April 30, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the sum of $ 4,000.00 through your account No. 328/446178/2/1/0 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on April 10, 2 014 and September 16, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N750,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No.0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to hove a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful Income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa or about September 28, 14 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the sum of N300, 000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to hove a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011.That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about November 8, 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N5m through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on November 27, 2015in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the sum of N500,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on February 8, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the sum of N500,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the Increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about October 30, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N500,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig, Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about November 8, 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N500,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income. “Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about April 8, 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N 100,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income. “Unlawful enrichment by public official contrary to section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.l1, 2011. That you, Justice Nganjiwa April 17, and June 24, 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, being a Judge of the Federal High Court enriched yourself with the total sum of N500,000 through your corporate account, Awa-Ajia Nig. Ltd No. 0000971331 domiciled in Access Bank Pic so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.
“Making false information to an officer of the EFCC contrary to section 39(2} (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004. That you, Justice Nganjiwa on or about October 17, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the court, knowingly made a false statement to Orji Chukwuma and Tukur Abdullahi, officers of EFCC the course of the exercise of their duty, wherein you stated as follows “the company then before my appointment really was doing any work assigned or given to it. But this account was not operational from the time I was appointed.”
— Jun 19, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT