JUT IN: Judge refuses to return Lamido’s trial to Justice Ademola

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Babatunde
Quadri, on Friday dismissed an application by a former Governor of
Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, requesting that his (the ex-governor’s)
trial be returned to the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi
Ademola.

Rejecting Lamido’s request in a ruling, Justice Quadri held that
it would better serve the interest of justice and public peace not
to return the case to Justice Ademola.

Justice Ademola, his wife, Olubowale , and Lamido’s lead
counsel, Mr. Joe Agi(SAN), were jointly prosecuted before the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory by the Federal Government
but were exonerated of all the 18 counts preferred against them on
April 5, 2017.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta,
had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri when Justice Ademola was
on suspension as a result of the joint trial.

But following the judgment exonerating Justice Ademola, the
judge’s wife, and Agi, of the charges preferred against them, the
lawyer had requested the Chief Judge to return the case to Justice
Ademola.

Agi had anchored his request to the Chief Judge on the grounds
that it would be agonising for his Lamido and the other defendants
to be subjected to the trial afresh when the prosecution, the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had already called 18
witnesses before Justice Ademola’s court.

But the EFCC had opposed the request insisting that with the
joint trial which Justice Ademola and Agi underwent, the judge
would likely be biased if the case was returned to him (Justice
Ademola).

However, the Chief Judge upon considering both Agi’s and EFCC’s
counter-requests insisted that the case should remain in Justice
Quadri’s court.

Despite the Chief Judge’s directive, Agi filed a motion on April
26, 2017, seeking Justice Quadri’s order directing the return of
the case to Justice Ademola.

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Babatunde
Quadri, on Friday dismissed an application by a former Governor of
Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, requesting that his (the ex-governor’s)
trial be returned to the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi
Ademola.

Rejecting Lamido’s request in a ruling, Justice Quadri held that
it would better serve the interest of justice and public peace not
to return the case to Justice Ademola.

Justice Ademola, his wife, Olubowale , and Lamido’s lead
counsel, Mr. Joe Agi(SAN), were jointly prosecuted before the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory by the Federal Government
but were exonerated of all the 18 counts preferred against them on
April 5, 2017.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta,
had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri when Justice Ademola was
on suspension as a result of the joint trial.

But following the judgment exonerating Justice Ademola, the
judge’s wife, and Agi, of the charges preferred against them, the
lawyer had requested the Chief Judge to return the case to Justice
Ademola.

Agi had anchored his request to the Chief Judge on the grounds
that it would be agonising for his Lamido and the other defendants
to be subjected to the trial afresh when the prosecution, the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had already called 18
witnesses before Justice Ademola’s court.

But the EFCC had opposed the request insisting that with the
joint trial which Justice Ademola and Agi underwent, the judge
would likely be biased if the case was returned to him (Justice
Ademola).

However, the Chief Judge upon considering both Agi’s and EFCC’s
counter-requests insisted that the case should remain in Justice
Quadri’s court.

Despite the Chief Judge’s directive, Agi filed a motion on April
26, 2017, seeking Justice Quadri’s order directing the return of
the case to Justice Ademola.