Agi won $4.4bn cases under Justice Ademola, gave Mrs Ademola N30m, DSS tells court

The Department of State Security (DSS) on Monday told a court that Justice Adeniyi Ademola through various court orders, awarded over $4.374billion to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Joe Agi.

The secret police also alleged Agi made a deposit of N30million into Mrs. Ademola’s Account between March 11 and 26, in three tranches of N10million each.

Justice Ademola was among seven Judges arrested after a sting operation the DSS carried out between October 7 and 8, 2016.

One of the lead investigators of the DSS, Mr. Babatunde Adepoju, testifying when the matter came up on Monday, told an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, that DSS investigations revealed that Justice Ademola had through various court orders, awarded over $4.374billion to the 3rd defendant, Agi, SAN.

Mr. Adepoju was the 16 prosecution witness (PW-16) to testify before Justice Jude Okeke who is presiding over the 18-count criminal charge the Federal Government (FG) entered against Justice Ademola and his wife, Olabowale.

In the case, FG cited Mr. Agi, as the 3rd defendant in the corruption charge.

The PW16 narrated: “My further investigation was on the connection between Justice Ademola and Agi, SAN. I tried to establish that Agi had cases pending and concluded, before Justice Ademola.

“I discovered that Agi has actually had cases before Justice Ademola. Two among these cases that raised eyebrow were the cases of ALGON vs FG.

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“The other case was that of Friday Ukpong vs Chief of Naval Staff. These two cases involved huge sums of money and was handled by Agi.

“Both cases emanated from Calabar, Cross River State which was Justice Ademola’s previous posting. In the ALGON case, three Garnishee Orders were granted by Justice Ademola in favour of Joe Agi’s client in respect of a matter involving Linear International Ltd.

“The first Garnishee Order granted was in excess of $637million, dated February 20, 2015. The second Garnishee Order was granted in excess of the sum of $637million, the same sum as at the first one. It was dated March 27, 2015, a day after the last tranche of N10million was paid into Mrs. Olabowale’s account in a case that was filed, heard and granted the same day.”

He also told the court that there was nothing to proof allegations that Justice Ademola influenced the appointment of his wife as the Head of Service in Lagos State, nor was there any evidence that he was induced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (POB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

DSS also said that it cannot prove that Ademola was influenced in any way by the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, for granting him bail.

The judge had himself claimed that the reason he was being prosecuted was because of the judgment he rendered in granting bail to IPOB’s Kanu and former NSA Dasuki.

He further told the court that DSS could not confirm that the accused Judge collected bribe before granting Dasuki bail on self-recognition.

Justice Okeke adjourned further hearing on the matter till Tuesday.

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