CORRUPTION IN JUDICIARY: EFCC drills two more judges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Wednesday, interrogated two more Federal High Court judges over allegations of corrupt practices.

The judges, Justices Agbadu James Fishim and Uwani Abba Aji, were at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency to answer questions over alleged corruption.

According to a source at the EFCC, another Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, May be forced to appear before the EFCC after she failed to honour invitation to do so.

With the interrogation of the Justices Fishim and Aji, the latest development, the number of judges quizzed by the EFCC has risen to five out of the eight judges on its radar.

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The EFCC source said: “Another set of two Federal High Court judges, Justice Agbadu James Fishim and Justice Uwani Abba Aji, responded to the invitation by the EFCC as they presented themselves before operatives at the Lagos zonal office, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

“Three other judges – Justices Mohammed Nasir Yunusa, Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa and Musa Haruna Kurya – had earlier reported to the commission on Monday and yesterday. Some of the judges, who were accompanied by their lawyers, have so far been cooperating with our operatives…

“Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, one of the invited judges, who was expected to show up at the commission yesterday, is yet to honour the invitation.

“If any judge refuses to honour our summons, the EFCC will have no choice than to employ legal process to make him or her respect the law of the land.

“We have accorded all the judges who came to the EFCC a lot of respect in line with international best practices.”

According to the source, two of the five judges were alleged to have received over N2.75 million bribe from two senior lawyers – Rickey Tarfa, SAN and Joseph Nwobike, SAN.

The two senior lawyers are already being prosecuted by the EFCC.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

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