Another SAN bribed Justice Yunusa with N750,000, EFCC alleges

The ongoing trial of the N2.5 billion rights suit filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ricky Tarfa, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has opened another can of worms in the judiciary, as the anti-corruption agency, on Wednesday, alleged that another Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Joseph Nwobike, paid N750,000 into the account of Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court.

The EFCC stated this in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to a further and better affidavit filed by Tarfa.

On Wednesday, Justice Mohammed Idris, before whom the suit was filed, ruled that Tarfa could adduce new evidence through the further affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa.

Read also: Ricky Tarfa on counter attack, sues EFCC, MTN, Falana for N5bn

In the further and better affidavit, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa claimed that the bank account, which EFCC said Tarfa used to bribe Justice Yunusa, belongs to him, and not to Justice Yunusa.

According to Awwal Yunusa, Tarfa gave him N225, 000 on January 7, 2014 to help finance his masters in Law degree.

However, the EFCC alleged that Tarfa was not the only SAN to pay money to Justice Yunusa’s account.

Moses Awolusi, an EFCC operative, said there were new revelations about judges being allegedly induced through “a network of senior lawyers”.

“Investigation has also shown that as part of this chain of fraud, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) also transferred the sum of N300, 000 to Hon. Justice H.A Nganjiwa.

“Investigations further revealed that Hon Justice M.N Yunusa as part of this scheme of fraud also received the sum of N750, 000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike SAN and Co,” the EFCC investigator said.

However, Nwobike, in a statement he sent to the to the EFCC, debunked the bribe allegation, saying the money was given as a financial assistance for the judge whose mother was hit by a kidney disease.

“Sometime ago, Justice Yunusa requested to see me. When I got there, he pleaded with me to assist him with some funds since his mother was under dialysis.

“He stated that her kidney had parked up and that he needed assistance to cure her. I felt sorry for him. I told him that I did not have funds, but that I would assist him when I had some money.

“I requested for his account details which he obliged me. When I got some money about two weeks after, I gave the money to him and he thanked me when he saw me along the corridor of the court of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi,” Nwobike said.

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