Finally, FG drags Justice Ademola, wife to court for receiving N248m, $.5m in gifts

The Federal Government has finally filed charges against Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and his wife, Olabowale, over allegations that they received N248,101,300 and $520,000 in gratification.

The charges filed against the Justice and his wife, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State, is coming weeks after the judge was arrested in a night raid by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS for alleged corrupt practices and professional misconduct.

Six other judges, including two from the Supreme Court were also arrested and detained before they were eventually released on self recognition.

The raid on the judges had sparked controversy over the proprietary of the action of the DSS, with many condemning it, while the federal government defended the action, vowing to prosecute the judges.

Justice Ademola however introduced a twist into the development, when he wrote a letter to the former Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, claiming he was a victim of vengeance orchestrated by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami and the DSS.

According to Justice Ademola, Malami, who had vowed to take back his pound of flesh, moved against him because of an order he made for his arrest over professional misconduct while serving in Kano. He also indicted the DSS, saying the nation’s secret police are not happy with him because of rulings he made that were viewed as antagonistic.

In the 15 count charge filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Ademola and his wife were accused of “corruptly” receiving a total sum of N248,101,300 and $520,000 as gratifications from law firms and others between 2013 an 2016, contrary to sections 8(1) and 26(1) (c) of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act, 2011 land punishable under Sections 8(1) (iii) of the same law.

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According to the charges, various sums of money were paid into the Guaranty Trust Bank account of Justice Ademola’s wife by law firms and others as gratifications for onward payment to the judge.

They were accused of obtaining N30m gratification between March 11 and 26, 2015, N40m gratification from between February 20 and 21, N10m, another N10m and on March 26, 2015, allegedly received the sum of N10m from Joe Odey Agi Associates.

The couple were also alleged to have on February 20, 2014, received N40m from a source not named in the charge.

Justice Ademola was also alleged to have received another N30million through his GTB account from Joe Agi Odey between March 11 and 26, 2015 amongst several others.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

 

 

 

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