• Obla also arraigned •Granted N20m bail each

THERE was a mild drama at a Ikeja High Court, Lagos yesterday as Justice Hakeem Oshodi ordered Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia to enter the dock to face charges of alleged bribe taking. She was arraigned alongside a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), GodwinObla by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).  Ofili-Ajumogobia shed tears as she complied with the judge’s order.
Obla is also a prosecutor with the EFCC. The duo are facing two-count charge of perverting justice by EFCC.  They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Obla was charged with an additional two counts of offering N5 million bribe to Ofili-Ajumogobia during her service as a judge.
Ofili-Ajumogobia faces a 26-count charge of unlawful enrichment, taking property by a public officer, corruption by a public officer, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC.
According to the EFCC, Obla, on May 21, 2015, intentionally transferred N5 million to Ofili-Ajumogobia via his Obla and Co United Bank of Africa (UBA) account to stop her from acting in her official duties.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Ofili-Ajumogobia, while serving as a justice of the Federal High Court on June 5, 2012, unlawfully received N18 million through her Access Bank Plc account which she could not give a reasonable account of.
The EFCC said between 2012 and 2015, she also received 788,000 dollars from various sources into her Diamond Bank account.
She allegedly received N51.1 million from various sources which did not reflect her source of income as a judge.
The EFCC also claimed that between July 5 and December. 30, 2010, Ofili-Ajumogobia forged a deed of assignment between County City Bricks Development Co Limited and Nigel and Clove Limited.
The forged deed was dated July 5, 2010, which was purportedly prepared and signed by Charles Musa and Co.
The anti-graft agency said on October19, the judge made a false statement through a phone call to one Lawal Abdullahi, an officer of the EFCC, where she claimed she was on admission at the Goldcross Hospital, Ikoyi.
The EFCC said the offences contravened Section 39 (2)(a) of the EFCC Act, Sections 64 (1), 82 (a), 97(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and Section 467 of the Criminal Code.
After the charges were read, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, requested for an immediate trial.
“My Lord, we hereby apply for an immediate, accelerated trial,” Oyedepo said.
Lawyer to Ofili-Ajumogobia, Mr Olawole Akoni (SAN), in his application for bail, pleaded with the court to release his client who had been in the custody of the EFCC.
“My Lord, the charges against the first defendant are bailable offences, according to Section 115 (2) (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
“The defendant does not pose a threat, she’s a responsible member of society, a judge of the Federal High Court and she will certainly stand trial to clear her name.
Oyedepo, however, countered Akoni’s claims that Ofili-Ajumogobia will not interfere with the trial.
“Your Lordship can look at the proof of evidence before the court, there’s overwhelming evidence against Ofili-Ajumogobia of interference.
“In paragraph six, we gave details about how the defendant interfered with our investigations and tried to influence witnesses who were Ademola Oshodi and Ogor Okafor.
“The statement of Oshodi on November 1 says and I quote, ‘Justice Rita called me to meet her at the Church of the Assumption, Falomo, to tell me how I should answer the EFCC questions.
“I urge your Lordship to refuse this application and grant accelerated hearing,” Oyedepo prayed.
Obla’s lawyer,, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), noted that his client, who is a prosecutor for the EFCC, poised no flight risk.
“The second defendant has been going and coming to the EFCC for some sister cases and he has deposited his passport with them.
“The applicant is not a flight risk, he went to the USA with the knowledge of the EFCC and he returned his passport to them, he is not a flight risk.
“There is no instance where he has interfered with the investigations of the EFCC. He is one of them; instead of paying him for the cases he has won for them, they charge him to court.
In his ruling, Justice Hakeem Oshodi noted that though the offences were serious, they were bailable and as a result of their status in  the society, they posed no risk.
“The defendants are hereby granted N20 million bail on self-recognition and they shall forfeit their international passports,” the judge ordered.