* Denies Bribing Court Staff
The prosecuting team of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday in Lagos confronted Joseph Nwobike, a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, with various text messages he allegedly
sent to court officials to unduly influence cases he was
handling.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Nwobike is being
tried by the EFCC on an 11-count charge bordering on perverting the
course of justice and offering gratification to public officials at
an Ikeja High Court.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Mr. Nwobike offered
gratifications to some judges of the Federal High Court and the
National Industrial Court to influence them to act contrary to
their official capacities.
The EFCC also claimed that Mr. Nwobike engaged in sending
illegal text messages with four registrars of the Federal High
Court in a bid to unduly influence his cases being tried by the
judges.
Mr. Nwobike, however, denied all the charges.
On July 3, while being led in evidence by his defence counsel,
Olawale Akoni, Mr. Nwobike had told the court that the money he
allegedly gave to the judges was not gratification but
“assistance”.
He insisted that the judges were old friends whom he had been
acquainted with while in the university long before they were
assigned as judges.
A compact disc (Exhibit P21) allegedly containing text messages
from the SAN’s seized mobile phone (Exhibit P18) was projected on a
screen during the cross-examination of Nwobike.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecution counsel of the EFCC during
the proceedings on Tuesday, accused Mr. Nwobike of sending text
messages to Mr. Baruwa, a clerk of the Federal High Court,
Lagos.
He claimed that Mr. Nwobike was aware that Mr. Baruwa worked
with one Mr. Jide, a Deputy Registrar of the court.
Responding, Mr. Nwobike said: “I know Mr. Baruwa, he is a clerk of
the Federal High Court, I do not know he works with Mr Jide, he
told me that his office is directly opposite Mr Jide’s office.
“I have had cause to send messages to Baruwa in the course of my
duties just like any other legal practitioner.”
Disputing Mr. Nwobike’s claims, Mr. Oyedepo said that Mr. Nwobike
was aware that the clerk shared office with the Deputy
Registrar.
“Would you be surprised if I tell you that Baruwa works directly
with Mr Jide in the Federal High Court and that his desk is
opposite Mr Jide’s desk.
“Baruwa informed you in a text that Mr Jide is back in the office,”
he said.
Mr. Nwobike again denied reading the text message from Mr.
Baruwa. Mr. Oyedepo, however, confronted him with the evidence on
the screen in the courtroom that he actually read the text
message.
Mr. Oyedepo showed him text messages in which details of lawsuits
were allegedly sent by Nwobike to Baruwa in a bid to assign the
cases to some specific judges.
“On page 3984 of exhibit P21, there was a text from you to Mr.
Jide in which you mentioned a case AMCON V Bizel Finance and
Investment Ltd.
“At 12.59 p.m. on September 4, 2015, you forwarded the suit details
of First Bank V O.P.I International Ltd, you mentioned that the
suits should be assigned to Justice Buba.
“As at September 4, 2015 when you sent that text message, the
matter was not yet assigned to any judge and on Nov. 27, 2015, at
10.46 am, you sent a text message to Mr Jide giving details of
Godwin Ewekolu Vs Inspector General of Police.
“When the text was forwarded, Justice Kurya was a judge of the
Federal High Court and you impressed it on Jide that it was very
urgent that the case be assigned to him.
“In the suit between Skye Bank Plc and Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas
Services Ltd, you forwarded the suit details to Mr. Jide as shown
on the screen.
“As at the time you forwarded the suit details to Mr. Jide,
Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services Ltd were under investigation
by the EFCC.
“The Kurya J you mentioned in that text message is Hon. Justice
Kurya of the Federal High Court,” he said.
Denying Mr. Oyedepo’s accusations, Mr. Nwobike said “The text
messages I sent were just confirmation text messages.
“On whether I knew that Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services were
under investigation by the EFCC, I don’t know because I don’t work
for the EFCC.”
Mr. Oyedepo accused Mr. Nwobike of obstructing the prosecution
of Femi Thomas, his client, who was allegedly caught at the
Muritala Muhammed International Airport with 200 million
dollars.
“On November 11, 2015, you sent a message to Mr. Jide of the
Federal High Court about a criminal charge filed against your
client Dr Femi Thomas asking that it should be assigned to Justice
Seidu.
“This suit was suit was eventually assigned to Justice Seidu and
as at 1.23 p.m. on the day you sent the text, this matter was not
assigned to any judge.
“Are you aware as a SAN that it is an offence not to declare an
amount exceeding $10,000, are you aware that the amount your client
travelling with was 200 million dollars?
“In a desperate bid to prevent the EFCC from continuing the
investigation, you instituted a fundamental rights action (exhibit
P23).
“You forwarded details of this suit in a text to Mr. Jide and in
the usual manner, you mentioned Justice Yinusa to handle the
case.
“Upon instituting this suit, the EFCC appeared before Justice
Yinusa and the matter was resolved by His Lordship; you also did
not file any process for the execution of the order you bought from
Hon. Justice Yinusa.
“On November 9, 2015, Felix Deckon your litigation officer
forwarded a text message forwarded a text message to Mr Jide.
“Text contained details of the charge preferred against your
client by the EFFC,” Mr. Oyedepo said.
“I will not agree with you that in a desperate bid to stop the
EFCC, I filed the fundamental rights action.
“The money in question was $2.2million and not $200million and
my client was asking for the return of the $2.2million seized from
his agent at the airport.
“I forwarded details of this suit to Mr Jide for confirmation
purposes,” Mr. Nwobike claimed.
The EFCC also accused the lawyer of undue interference in a case
involving Beauty Akpobolokemi and the anti-graft agency.
Beauty Akpobolokemi is the wife of Patrick Akpobolokemi, the
former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency, NIMASA, standing trial over alleged fraud.
“On November 9, 2015, you received and read a message from Mr.
Baruwa of the Federal High Court forwarding the details of a case
between Beauty Akpobolokemi and the EFCC.
“The text informed you that the case has been assigned to
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and you filed a suit against the
EFCC.
“You filed the suit against the EFCC in the middle of an EFCC
investigation of Patrick Akpobolokemi.
“Prior to November 9, 2015, you forwarded a text to Mr. Jide
where the name of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was mentioned.
“At 8.50 a.m. on that day, you sent a text to Mr. Baruwa saying
‘Okay please take the file there now.’
“At 5.32 p.m., you forwarded the particulars of the case to Jide
and this matter was eventually assigned to Justice Ajumogobia,
“Before Beauty Akpobolokemi suit was filed, you sent some names
to Mr. Baruwa to monitor in case the EFCC prefers some charges
against them,” Oyedepo said.
“I don’t know when the case of Beauty Akpobolokemi Vs the EFCC
was assigned, it is not correct that I sent some names to Baruwa to
monitor in case the EFCC files some charges,” Mr. Nwobike said.
Showing the SAN the documents on the screen in the courtroom,
Mr. Oyedepo said “At 9.38 a.m. on November 5, 2015 you received and
read a text from Mr Baruwa.
“The text read ‘good morning sir, no charged have been filed
against those clients by the EFCC…’
“Your reply was ‘Thanks I am grateful.’
“These instructions you gave to Mr Baruwa, were they for free,
have you had cause to give him money through your juniors, money
transferred to him in the exercise of his duties?”
Responding, Mr. Nwobike said “No I have not given him any
money.”
The EFCC prosecutor disputing the claim asked Mr. Nwobike if he
knew any person called Zainab Kilani, and he answered in the
affirmative, saying she is a junior in his law chambers.
“You received and read a text from Mr. Baruwa saying ‘Thank you
sir, Kelani gave me your special package
“On June 3, 2015 at 10.10am, you received a text from Mr. Baruwa
saying ‘Good morning Sir, I just got a golden handshake from Mr.
Felix Sir.
“Exhibit D2 is a statement of account from your law chambers, on
Jan. 17, 2011 you transferred N50,000 to Mr. Baruwa,” Mr. Oyedepo
added.
Accusing the senior advocate further of obstructing justice, Mr.
Oyedepo said Mr. Nwobike received photocopies of EFCC charges that
were not yet filed in court.
“Mr. Baruwa sent a text message acknowledging handing over the
charges to Mr Felix Deckon, your litigation officer.
“A charge that is not filed was given to you by your litigation
officer without you applying for a certified true copy,” Mr.
Oyedepo said.
Denying the accusations, Mr. Nwobike said “I did not apply for a
certified true copy and I did not receive photocopy of the charge
and I only received the charge when it was served on my
clients.”
Justice Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case until July 12 at 10.3
a.m. for continuation of trial.
(NAN)
* Denies Bribing Court Staff
The prosecuting team of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday in Lagos confronted Joseph Nwobike, a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, with various text messages he allegedly
sent to court officials to unduly influence cases he was
handling.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Nwobike is being
tried by the EFCC on an 11-count charge bordering on perverting the
course of justice and offering gratification to public officials at
an Ikeja High Court.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Mr. Nwobike offered
gratifications to some judges of the Federal High Court and the
National Industrial Court to influence them to act contrary to
their official capacities.
The EFCC also claimed that Mr. Nwobike engaged in sending
illegal text messages with four registrars of the Federal High
Court in a bid to unduly influence his cases being tried by the
judges.
Mr. Nwobike, however, denied all the charges.
On July 3, while being led in evidence by his defence counsel,
Olawale Akoni, Mr. Nwobike had told the court that the money he
allegedly gave to the judges was not gratification but
“assistance”.
He insisted that the judges were old friends whom he had been
acquainted with while in the university long before they were
assigned as judges.
A compact disc (Exhibit P21) allegedly containing text messages
from the SAN’s seized mobile phone (Exhibit P18) was projected on a
screen during the cross-examination of Nwobike.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecution counsel of the EFCC during
the proceedings on Tuesday, accused Mr. Nwobike of sending text
messages to Mr. Baruwa, a clerk of the Federal High Court,
Lagos.
He claimed that Mr. Nwobike was aware that Mr. Baruwa worked
with one Mr. Jide, a Deputy Registrar of the court.
Responding, Mr. Nwobike said: “I know Mr. Baruwa, he is a clerk of
the Federal High Court, I do not know he works with Mr Jide, he
told me that his office is directly opposite Mr Jide’s office.
“I have had cause to send messages to Baruwa in the course of my
duties just like any other legal practitioner.”
Disputing Mr. Nwobike’s claims, Mr. Oyedepo said that Mr. Nwobike
was aware that the clerk shared office with the Deputy
Registrar.
“Would you be surprised if I tell you that Baruwa works directly
with Mr Jide in the Federal High Court and that his desk is
opposite Mr Jide’s desk.
“Baruwa informed you in a text that Mr Jide is back in the office,”
he said.
Mr. Nwobike again denied reading the text message from Mr.
Baruwa. Mr. Oyedepo, however, confronted him with the evidence on
the screen in the courtroom that he actually read the text
message.
Mr. Oyedepo showed him text messages in which details of lawsuits
were allegedly sent by Nwobike to Baruwa in a bid to assign the
cases to some specific judges.
“On page 3984 of exhibit P21, there was a text from you to Mr.
Jide in which you mentioned a case AMCON V Bizel Finance and
Investment Ltd.
“At 12.59 p.m. on September 4, 2015, you forwarded the suit details
of First Bank V O.P.I International Ltd, you mentioned that the
suits should be assigned to Justice Buba.
“As at September 4, 2015 when you sent that text message, the
matter was not yet assigned to any judge and on Nov. 27, 2015, at
10.46 am, you sent a text message to Mr Jide giving details of
Godwin Ewekolu Vs Inspector General of Police.
“When the text was forwarded, Justice Kurya was a judge of the
Federal High Court and you impressed it on Jide that it was very
urgent that the case be assigned to him.
“In the suit between Skye Bank Plc and Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas
Services Ltd, you forwarded the suit details to Mr. Jide as shown
on the screen.
“As at the time you forwarded the suit details to Mr. Jide,
Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services Ltd were under investigation
by the EFCC.
“The Kurya J you mentioned in that text message is Hon. Justice
Kurya of the Federal High Court,” he said.
Denying Mr. Oyedepo’s accusations, Mr. Nwobike said “The text
messages I sent were just confirmation text messages.
“On whether I knew that Brokeyard Marine Oil and Gas Services were
under investigation by the EFCC, I don’t know because I don’t work
for the EFCC.”
Mr. Oyedepo accused Mr. Nwobike of obstructing the prosecution
of Femi Thomas, his client, who was allegedly caught at the
Muritala Muhammed International Airport with 200 million
dollars.
“On November 11, 2015, you sent a message to Mr. Jide of the
Federal High Court about a criminal charge filed against your
client Dr Femi Thomas asking that it should be assigned to Justice
Seidu.
“This suit was suit was eventually assigned to Justice Seidu and
as at 1.23 p.m. on the day you sent the text, this matter was not
assigned to any judge.
“Are you aware as a SAN that it is an offence not to declare an
amount exceeding $10,000, are you aware that the amount your client
travelling with was 200 million dollars?
“In a desperate bid to prevent the EFCC from continuing the
investigation, you instituted a fundamental rights action (exhibit
P23).
“You forwarded details of this suit in a text to Mr. Jide and in
the usual manner, you mentioned Justice Yinusa to handle the
case.
“Upon instituting this suit, the EFCC appeared before Justice
Yinusa and the matter was resolved by His Lordship; you also did
not file any process for the execution of the order you bought from
Hon. Justice Yinusa.
“On November 9, 2015, Felix Deckon your litigation officer
forwarded a text message forwarded a text message to Mr Jide.
“Text contained details of the charge preferred against your
client by the EFFC,” Mr. Oyedepo said.
“I will not agree with you that in a desperate bid to stop the
EFCC, I filed the fundamental rights action.
“The money in question was $2.2million and not $200million and
my client was asking for the return of the $2.2million seized from
his agent at the airport.
“I forwarded details of this suit to Mr Jide for confirmation
purposes,” Mr. Nwobike claimed.
The EFCC also accused the lawyer of undue interference in a case
involving Beauty Akpobolokemi and the anti-graft agency.
Beauty Akpobolokemi is the wife of Patrick Akpobolokemi, the
former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency, NIMASA, standing trial over alleged fraud.
“On November 9, 2015, you received and read a message from Mr.
Baruwa of the Federal High Court forwarding the details of a case
between Beauty Akpobolokemi and the EFCC.
“The text informed you that the case has been assigned to
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and you filed a suit against the
EFCC.
“You filed the suit against the EFCC in the middle of an EFCC
investigation of Patrick Akpobolokemi.
“Prior to November 9, 2015, you forwarded a text to Mr. Jide
where the name of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was mentioned.
“At 8.50 a.m. on that day, you sent a text to Mr. Baruwa saying
‘Okay please take the file there now.’
“At 5.32 p.m., you forwarded the particulars of the case to Jide
and this matter was eventually assigned to Justice Ajumogobia,
“Before Beauty Akpobolokemi suit was filed, you sent some names
to Mr. Baruwa to monitor in case the EFCC prefers some charges
against them,” Oyedepo said.
“I don’t know when the case of Beauty Akpobolokemi Vs the EFCC
was assigned, it is not correct that I sent some names to Baruwa to
monitor in case the EFCC files some charges,” Mr. Nwobike said.
Showing the SAN the documents on the screen in the courtroom,
Mr. Oyedepo said “At 9.38 a.m. on November 5, 2015 you received and
read a text from Mr Baruwa.
“The text read ‘good morning sir, no charged have been filed
against those clients by the EFCC…’
“Your reply was ‘Thanks I am grateful.’
“These instructions you gave to Mr Baruwa, were they for free,
have you had cause to give him money through your juniors, money
transferred to him in the exercise of his duties?”
Responding, Mr. Nwobike said “No I have not given him any
money.”
The EFCC prosecutor disputing the claim asked Mr. Nwobike if he
knew any person called Zainab Kilani, and he answered in the
affirmative, saying she is a junior in his law chambers.
“You received and read a text from Mr. Baruwa saying ‘Thank you
sir, Kelani gave me your special package
“On June 3, 2015 at 10.10am, you received a text from Mr. Baruwa
saying ‘Good morning Sir, I just got a golden handshake from Mr.
Felix Sir.
“Exhibit D2 is a statement of account from your law chambers, on
Jan. 17, 2011 you transferred N50,000 to Mr. Baruwa,” Mr. Oyedepo
added.
Accusing the senior advocate further of obstructing justice, Mr.
Oyedepo said Mr. Nwobike received photocopies of EFCC charges that
were not yet filed in court.
“Mr. Baruwa sent a text message acknowledging handing over the
charges to Mr Felix Deckon, your litigation officer.
“A charge that is not filed was given to you by your litigation
officer without you applying for a certified true copy,” Mr.
Oyedepo said.
Denying the accusations, Mr. Nwobike said “I did not apply for a
certified true copy and I did not receive photocopy of the charge
and I only received the charge when it was served on my
clients.”
Justice Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case until July 12 at 10.3
a.m. for continuation of trial.
(NAN)
Read more https://nairalaw.com/how-senior-lawyer-allegedly-bribed-court-clerks-selected-compliant-judges/