By CrossRiverWatch Admin
The Federal Government has preferred fresh charges against Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja and his wife, Olabowale, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja.
The prosecution amended the charges it filed on December 1, 2016 bringing the original 14 counts down to 11.
While some of the old counts have been dropped, fresh ones including receiving a car worth N8.5m as gratification from a senior lawyer, Mr. Joe Agi, and being in possession of two rifles without valid licences among other charges have been preferred against the judge.
The trial judge, Justice Jude Okeke, on Monday, fixed December 13, 2016 for the arraignment of the defendants.
Like the old set of charges, Justice Ademola and his wife were accused in the fresh counts of conspiracy and receiving gratification of N30m from Joe Agi and Associates between March 11 and March 26, 2015.
Both offences were said to be contrary to section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same law.
He was also said to have, on January 5, 2015, in his capacity as a public servant, “corruptly received from Joe Odey Agi, a BMW Saloon 320i valued at N8,500,000, through your son, Ademide Ademola, as gratification in the exercise of your official functions as the judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria”.
The offences relating to gratification were said to be contrary to section 8(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.
Justice Okeke adjourned the matter till December 13, 2016, after the defendants’ lawyer, Mr. Jeph Njikonye, volunteered to accept service on behalf of his clients having failed to serve them personally previous.
Joe Agi SAN had dragged the Cross River state governor Senator Ben Ayade to court accusing him falsifying his age in three separate affivadits and arguing that Ayade was not qualified to contest the PDP primaries.
The pre election matter is coming up tomorrow Friday December 9, 2016 for final Judgment at the Supreme Court.
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