CORRUPTION: EFCC arraigns another judge reinstated by NJC

Another judge, Justice James Agbadu-fishim, who was recently reinstated by the National Judicial Council (NJC), was on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of the Ikeja High Court for allegedly receiving N4.4 million as gratification.

Justice James Agbadu-fishim of the National Industrial Court, Lagos Division, was arraigned in the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was said to have received the N4.4 million from seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), a lawyer and a law firm from 2013 to 2015.

The seven SANs involve in the matter were alleged to be Felix Fagbohungbe, Paul Usoro, Uche Obi, Muiz Banire, Adeniyi Akintola, Gani Kazeem and Joseph Nwobike.

In a 19-count charge leveled against him, the prosecution accused him of unlawfully enriching himself with funds received from a Lagos-based lawyer, Enobong Etteh and Alliance Law Firm.

EFCC alleged that Felix Fagbohungbe deposited N200, 000 on December 5, 2013; N700, 000 between May 10 and December 19, 2014; N250,000 on February 26, 2015; and N250, 000 also on February 26, 205 into the First Bank Account with no. 3008199491 belonging to Mr. Agbadu-fishim.

The anti-graft agency further alleged that Paul Usoro between August 5 and December 12, 2015 deposited N300,000; between March 25 and March 26, deposited N400,000 and N100,000 into the First Bank Account of the judge with no. 3008199491.

It said that the law firm of Gani Kazeem also paid N100, 000 on February 10, 2015.

Others who the EFCC said made payment into the account of the judge were, Uche Obi who between October 17 and 20, 2013 paid N200, 000; Alliance Law Firm who deposited N250,000 into the First Bank Account of the judge with number- 3008199491.

A Lagos-based lawyer, Enobong Etteh, again paid N200,000 on two occasions into the First Bank account of the judge with number – 3008199491 on October 27, 2014.

It also told the court that Adeniyi Akintola deposited N200,000 on July 12, 2014, N100,000 on February 10, 2014, N100,000 on February 26, 2015 and also N100,000 on February 26, 2015 into the First Bank Account of the judge with number – 2006900216.

In all, the EFCC accused Agbadu-fishim of receiving N150,000 on December 12, 2014 and N100,000 on September 10, 2015 from Joseph Nwobike into his First Bank Account with number – 2006900216.

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All the 19-count charge were however denied by Agbadu-fishim.

After all arguments, Justice Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case until October 11, 12 and 13 for trial.

Agbadu-fishim was among the six judges the NJC on June 2, reinstated following the Federal Government’s failure to charge them to court six months after the Department of State Service (DSS) raided their homes on alleged corruption.

Of the eight judges whose home were raided, only Supreme Court Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court were charged to court.

Ademola was however reinstated alongside five others who were not charged to court after a Federal High Court discharged and acquitted him.

But soon after their reinstatement, the EFCC charged Hydiazira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court to court before also charging Agbadu-fishim to court.

 

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