A prosecution witness, Daniel Danladi, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the ongoing trial of Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, on Tuesday told Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, how Nwobike allegedly offered gratification to judicial officers to pervert the course of justice.
Nwobike is being prosecuted on a five-count charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to public officials.
One of the counts reads: “That you Nwobike, on the 19th day of March, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N750, 000 to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account No.1002664061 in order that the said Judge acts in the exercise of his official duties”.
Another count reads: “That on the 28th day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction, you intentionally gave the sum of N300, 000 to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc, belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court, in order that the Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.”
At today’s sitting, Danladi gave a startling revelation of the alleged gratification involving the accused person in a document entitled ‘‘Extraction Report’’ that was screened during the proceedings.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Danladi further revealed that the report, which was obtained from the contents of a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 belonging to the defendant, also contained details of bank transactions as well as messages allegedly sent by Nwobike to the judicial officers and judges.
According to the report, the judges who allegedly received gratification from the defendant are: Justice Mohammed Yinusa; Justice H.A. Nganjiwa; Justice Musa Kurya( Federal High Court, Lagos) as well as Justice James Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court, Lagos.
Giving further testimony, Danladi said: “The result of the extraction report clearly showed that the defendant was conveying money to judges of various the courts.”
The defendant, according to Danladi, was always phoning and exchanging text messages with workers at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi simply identified as Jide and Debby.
When asked to talk more about the duo, Danladi added that ‘‘they usually helped the defendant to influence cases.’’
The report also revealed how the defendant allegedly offered the sum of $2,500 to Debby.
The prosecution counsel, however, sought an adjournment to allow him present more witnesses to give further testimonies.
The defence counsel, A. O. Akanni, SAN, did not oppose the prayer.
Consequently, Justice Adebiyi adjourned to May 5 and 18, 2017.
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