Embattled Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court, his wife, Olubowale, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN), have asked a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, to discharge and acquit them of offence of gratification and other charges preferred against them by the Federal Government.
The Nigerian Government had arraigned the judge and his wife, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State, on an 11 counts charges bordering on conspiracy to receive gratification and receiving gratification of N30m from Joe Agi and Associates, between March 11 and March 26, 2015.
The defence lawyers in a no-case submissions filled before Justice Jude Okeke on Wednesday, said with its 16 prosecution witnesses and documentary evidence tendered, the Federal Government was unable to prove the essential elements of the alleged offences level against them.
According to the defence lawyers, the court should uphold their clients’ no-case submissions and proceed to discharge and acquit them on the basis that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.
However, the prosecution, led by Mr. Segun Jegede, asked the court to throw out the defendants’ respective no-case submissions and call on them to open their defence.
Justice Jude Okeke after listening to all parties on Wednesday, fixed April 5 for his ruling on the no-case submissions.
Among the 18 counts preferred against the defendants, was an allegation that on January 5, 2015, in his capacity as a public servant, Justice Ademola “corruptly received” from Agi, a BMW Saloon 320i valued at N8,500,000.
The judge allegedly received the car, through his son, Ademide Ademola, as gratification in the exercise of his official functions as a judge of the Federal High Court.
The prosecution also alleged in five other counts, that Justice Ademola, through his wife, Olubowale, received gratification of N30m in three instalments of N10m each from Agi between March 11 and March 26, 2015.
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