BY IKECHUKWU nNOCHIRI
ABUJA—The National Judicial Council, NJC, has commenced investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption, leveled against Governor Rauf Aregbesola's nominee for the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole.
Justice Oyewole who is currently serving under the High Court of Lagos State was dragged before the NJC by an ex-convict, Chief Emmanuel Nwude, who was accused with one Mrs. Martina Anajemba of obtaining money running into millions of dollars, by false pretence (a.k.a 419), leading to the liquidation of a Brazilian bank.
In his petition, Nwude alleged that "the judge made orders against properties related to me situated outside Lagos state despite the fact that he had no jurisdiction to do so."
According to him, "I immediately appealed against the judgment and whilst the appeal was pending, the judge made further orders without notice to me, that the properties be vested in persons who were not parties in the charge against me and who had nothing to do with the case. His lordship started sitting on the case whilst I was being detained and conspired with EFCC officials and lawyers and by ex-parte process, ordered the land registries of the respective states where the properties were situated to register the title over the properties in favour of strangers to the judgment.
"The case file relating to these processes was subsequently destroyed by the judge such that all efforts to get them at the court registry became abortive".
Thereafter, the properties were sold – despite the appeal – and the proceeds were shared between the judge, the prosecutor and EFCC officials. The above facts were discovered after regaining my freedom and in pursuit of justice" the petitioner stated.
More so, the petitioner also claimed that officials of the EFCC, led by its former Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the lawyers of the Brazilian Bank Shareholders, Messrs Babajide Ogundipe and Kwara state Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governorship candidate, Mohammed Dele Belgore, SAN, and EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, among others, were part of the syndicate that allegedly shared in the over N100 billion realized from the sale of his assets, among which he said included a popular Russell centre in Abuja.
He said the center was bought by the current Olugbo of Ugboland land in Ondo state, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan (Obat).
According to Nwude "the facts were all confirmed in the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria V Ricky Tarfa case ID/102c/2006 still pending before the Lagos court "where the principal actors confessed that they reached a financial arrangement between the EFCC Chairman, Rotimi Jacobs and the court, to get the judgment and that they also shared the money among themselves."
In the proof of evidence attached to a case that was instituted against Tarfa, SAN, by the EFCC for allegedly "obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 1(3) of advance Fee fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act 13 of 1995, as amended by Act no 62 of 1999, one of the witnesses, Prince Obat Akinruntan, in his handwritten statement under caution, had stated that "after bargaining, we agreed $500,000 because he told me that the money is not for him alone; that he is going to settle the Court, EFCC, and many other people. When Hannafi approached me for balance of Mr. Ogundipe's legal fee claiming that they were going to settle EFCC and other people, I then said I cannot settle EFCC twice; since I have already given Ricky Tarfa the money to settle EFCC.
"I have also discussed settling EfCC with Barristers Ogundipe and Belgore when they were demanding for their legal fees telling me they were going to settle EFCC and others."
Meantime, sequel to the petition, the NJC has queried Justice Oyewole, even as it gave him one month to respond to the allegations that were raised against him.
The query letter, with ref No NJC/s.24/Lag. Hc/33/1/13 was titled "Re-Complaint of abuse of judicial power, Oath of office, bribery and corruption against Hon Justice J O Oyewole of the High Court of Lagos state. Re-suit No ID/92c/2004-Demand for Judicial Enquiry."
It read: "I forward herewith a petition dated 10th February, 2012, against you by one Chief Emmanuel Nwude on the above subject matter. The petition speaks for itself. I shall be glad to have your comment within one month from the date of receipt of this letter, please."
Though it was the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher that signed the query, however, investigations by Vanguard revealed that the incumbent CJN, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar has already assumed jurisdiction over the probe with a view to constituting an investigative panel to look into the matter holistically.
Vanguard Nigeria