Why Justice Ajumogobia cannot be released –EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos why embattled judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia cannot be released.

The EFCC was responding to an application brought before the court for her immediate release from the custody of the anti-graft agency.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit seeking immediate release from custody of the commission.

Her counsel, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, argued before Justice Muslim Hassan that the continued detention of his client was a violation of her right, adding that the remand order obtained by the EFCC to detain her had since elapsed.

However, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Abdullahi Idris, prayed the court not to order the release of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, on the premise that it was afraid the detained judge would tamper with its evidence if released on bail.

“The applicant (Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia) was inducing and interfering with our investigation since after she was released on bail which formed the basis of the revocation of the bail earlier granted her”, he submitted.

Continuing, Idris said investigation by the EFCC had yielded serious positive result leading to the filing of a criminal charge against the judge before Justice T. Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.

Justice Oshodi has fixed November 28 for her arraignment.

Read also: 7 yrs after, court okays Ladoja’s re-arraignment

Continuing, Idris said if Justice Ajumogobia is released from custody, her pending charge before Justice Oshodi would be prejudiced, as, according to him the judge had earlier refused to honour the invitation extended to her for an interview at the EFCC office.

Detailing the anti-graft agency’s cat and mouse game with her, Idris said when she was called on phone on why she did not honour the invitation, the judge sent a message to the EFCC that she was sick and was on admission at Gold Cross Hospital, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

“When operatives of the EFCC visited the hospital, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was not on admission and her name was not on the list of admitted patients at the hospital”, he said.

He also disclosed that operatives of the EFCC thwarted an attempt by the Managing Director of the hospital to smuggle her name into the hospital’s patients’ list.

Justice Hassan adjourned ruling on the application till November 29.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews…

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