Justice Ademola denied me bail for not paying N25m bribe – Witness

A prosecution witness, Dr. Sani Teidi, on Tuesday recounted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, how Justice Adeniyi Ademola allegedly denied him bail for being unable to pay him N25million bribe while standing trial before him between 2013 and 2014.

Teidi, who was a former Director, Pension Accounts, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, was testifying as the sixth out of the 14 prosecution witness Federal government said will testify against Justice Ademola.

Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Segun Jegede, Teidi told the court that he was made to remain in prison for one year and two months because of his refusal to give Justice Ademola the alleged N25million, adding that the refusal to vary his bail condition informed the reason his wife petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), accusing the judge of misconduct.

Teidi said the judge’s agent had met him and left an account number into which he was to pay the bribe.

According to Teidi, the judge initially denied him bail, but after being persuaded by his lawyer to grant him bail, the judge kept giving excuses for not signing the documents to facilitate his release.

He recounted, “My sureties were one Chief Okey and the second one Igbelimeta Farm Project Limited. They now perfected the bail. After it was perfected, my lawyer, S.I Ameh (SAN), reminded Justice Ademola that our bail conditions had been perfected and the judge said he was aware.

“But the judge said my case was like Boko Haram, kidnapping and terrorism and so, he would take his time to study it before he would append his signature. Then the case was adjourned.

“The next time we met in court Justice Ademola, said rain fell on my file so there was no way he could look at it until the file was dry. I appeared before him not less than seven times. I was arraigned around April 2013. I didn’t know why my bail was not approved. I got to know around November/December (2013).

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“I got to know that I would not be allowed to go out because the account sent by the agent, Kingsley O. was not credited. We applied for variation since my remaining surety, Igbelimeta, was unable to meet the N1bn condition. But Justice A.F.A Ademola said N1bn was not too much and that I should go and perfect it.

“Then we went on appeal. I was in prison for one year and two months before I went on appeal. The appeal succeeded and I was granted bail.”

However, under cross-examination, the defence team confronted the witness with documents, including a report by the NJC exonerating Justice Ademola, a serving judge of the Federal High Court, of the bribery allegation and other acts of misconducts.

The witness then claimed that though his wife wrote the petition which informed the report issued by the NJC, he was not aware of the document until about two weeks ago when the prosecuting counsel showed it to him.

When one of the defence lawyer, Robert Clarke (SAN) asked Teidi, how he, a defendant in a criminal case, all of a sudden became a “friend” of the Department of State Service (DSS), the witness kept silence.
Clarke then told him, “You are serving as a tool in the hand of DSS to do what they wanted you to do”.

Justice Ademola, his wife, Olabowale and a lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN) are being prosecuted for alleged acceptance of gratification, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The witness was unable to appear in court on Monday after he claimed that his live was in danger following an assassination attempt on him.
The trial continues on Wednesday.

 

 

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