Oladimeji Ramon
The trial of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia for alleged unlawful enrichment continued on Friday before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja with the testimony of an official of the National Judicial Council, Mrs. Ramatu Ahmed.
Ahmed, who was subpoenaed to testify as the 13th prosecution witness, clarified that judges are not permitted to accept gift that are “pecuniary in nature.”
She clarified further that judges’ salaries and allowances are paid in naira rather than in foreign currency.
She added that judges were not permitted to maintain or operate a corporate bank account while in service.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, a serving judge of the Federal High Court, for allegedly receiving a total of $793,800 in several tranches from different sources between 2012 and 2015 “so as to have a significant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.”
Standing trial with the embattled judge is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Godwin Obla, who the EFCC claimed gave the judge a bribe of N5m.
The duo are facing 31 counts of corruption before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.
Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that the defendants acted sections 64(1), 82(a) and 69(1) (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State No. 11, 2011.
But Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla pleaded not guilty.
At the resumed trial on Friday, the NJC official, Ahmed, while fielding questions from Oyedepo, explained that, “(Judges’) Budgetary allocation is routed through the NJC, which is disbursed to the various courts.
“Though judges receive allowance, such as estacodes, other than their salaries, such allowances are disbursed through individual courts.
“Judges receive their salaries and allowances in naira.”
The NJC official went on to read aloud in court the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
She pointed out Paragraph 2.5 of the code of conduct, which says, “A judge shall not accept a gift from a lawyer, particularly one who appears before him.”
According to the witness, though a judge may accept gifts during festive periods, such gifts must not be “pecuniary in nature.”
Ahmed further pointed out Paragraph 8.5 of the code of conduct, stating that it is improper for a judge to use his or her position for personal advantage with the view to influencing the outcome of a case.
Attempts by Oyedepo to make the NJC official interpret the provisions of the code of conduct were, however, resisted by the defence counsel, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN) and Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN).”
“She has tendered the document, it is for the court to interpret the document,” Adedipe contended.
Justice Oshodi adjourned further proceedings till June 8, 2018.
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Source: Punch
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