The Federal government, on Wednesday, arraigned a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, alongside a judge of the Federal High Court, Adeniyi Ademola, and his wife, Olubowale.
Mr. Ademola and his wife, a former Head of Service in Lagos State, were arraigned on an 11-count charge in December for alleged fraud.
They were later granted bail on self recognition and were required to pay N50 million each as conditions for their bail.
They were also asked to submit their international passports, pending the determination of the matter.
As stated in parts of the charge against the judge and his wife, they were indicted for allegedly conspiring to collect N30 million gratification from a company belonging to Mr. Agi, Joe Agi and associates, in March 2015.
Both defendants were also accused of committing the act of collecting the said gratification.
The offence is contrary to Section 8 (i) (a) of the corrupt practices and other related offences act and punishable under Section 8(ii) of the same section.
Mr. Agi was on Wednesday included among the accused.
The prosecution counsel, Segun Jegede, explained to journalists after the trial that the third defendant was not initially arraigned because he was out of the country.
He added that his client, the federal government, hesitated to include the third defendant earlier to prevent any attempt to delay the trial.
In the amended charge, now 16 in all, Mr. Agi is accused of paying N30 million in three tranches to the first defendant, in March 2015.
He was also accused of giving a BMW vehicle, worth N8.5 million to the judge, to influence his decision in court.
After Mr. Agi pleaded not guilty to charges against him, counsel to the first and second defendants, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, prayed the court to allow the earlier bail conditions granted his clients since they complied with it and the said bail had been effected.
Counsel to Mr. Agi, Jeph Njikonye, said his client’s bail application has already been served on the prosecution.
He prayed the court to grant the bail, considering the fact that the matter had been slated for continuation on of trial on January 16.