The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arraignment the embattled Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia in Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday.
The embattled judge was re-arraigned on 15 counts charge bordering on money laundering and breach of public trust before Hon justice Mohammed Liman.
She pleaded not guilty to all the counts pressed on her by the anti-graft agency.
The prosecution counsel Suleiman Suleiman applied for a trial date to enable the prosecution called it witnesses.
But her counsel Mobolaji Kuji urged the court to allow the defendant continue on the terms and conditions of bail earlier by Justice Rilwan Aikawa who was formerly trying the case before he recuse himself from the case.
Justice Liman his short ruling ordered that the defendant continue on the terms and conditions bail earlier granted.
The judge thereafter adjourned the case to April 21st and 28th for trial respectively.
The anti-graft agency had on Thursday, April 18, 2019, arraigned Ajumogobia before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on 18-count charge, bordering on breach of trust, false statement and unlawful enrichment.
Before her re-arraignment today, counsel to the EFCC, Suleiman Suleiman applied to the court to withdraw the name of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Godwin Obla who had earlier been charged alongside Justice Ajumogobia.
The court granted the request and Obla was accordingly acquitted and discharged. This paved the way for the re-arraignment of Justice Ajumogobia as the sole defendant in the amended charge.
The charge reads:
That you HON. JUSTICE RITA NGOZI OFILI AJUMOGOBIA on or about the 11th day of July, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, indirectly concealed the total sum of N12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million, Naira) in the Ciamond Bank account of Nigel & Colive Ltd opened and operated by you, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Another count reads: “That you HON. JUSTICE RITA NGOZI OFILI AJUMOGOBIA on or about the 21″ day of May, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly concealed the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel & Colive Ltd opened and operated by you, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (a) of the same act.
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