The planned arraignment of Justice Mohammed Yunusa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Judicial Division was stalled on Wednesday due to administrative bottlenecks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) had filed five counts charges boadering on alleged corruption against Justice Mohammed Yunusa.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) had filed five counts charges boadering on alleged corruption against Justice Mohammed Yunusa.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 64(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No.11, 2011.
It will be recalled that others charge, the anti-graft agency accused Justice Mohammed Yunusa of engaging in constant private and confidential communications with Mr. Rickey Tarfa, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who was handling three lawsuits marked FHC/L/CS/714/2015, FHC/L/CS/715/2015 and FHC/L/CS/716/2015 before him.
It also accused the judge of collecting N1.5m from the SAN for the purpose of giving judgments favourable to the SAN’s law firm.
The Lagos State High Court had served hearing notices on the prosecution and the defence to appear before Justice Mojisola Dada for the hearing of the case.
On getting to the court, however, it was discovered that the case was not listed for hearing on Wednesday.
The registrars informed the parties that the case file had been returned to the administrative judge and advised the parties to follow up at the main court’s registry.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who was in court with his lawyer, left the court premises.
It was gathered by a friend at the bar, our correspondence that the case had first been assigned to Honourable Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court before the case file was withdrawn and later transferred to Honourable Justice Dada by the Chief Registrar of the high court.
In the charges, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who has been suspended by the National Judicial Council, was accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice, contrary to Section 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011.
Charged alongside Justice Mohammed Yunusa was one Esther Agbo, who works in the law firm of Rickey Tarfa & Co.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that Esther Agbo on May 14, 2015 paid N1.5m into Justice Mohammed Yunusa’s UBA account numbered 1005055617.
The judge was also accused of receiving financial benefits in the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) between March and September 2015.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that the Justice Mohammed Yunusa received the money so that he could give decisions in favour of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in his cases.
It also accused the judge of collecting N1.5m from the SAN for the purpose of giving judgments favourable to the SAN’s law firm.
The Lagos State High Court had served hearing notices on the prosecution and the defence to appear before Justice Mojisola Dada for the hearing of the case.
On getting to the court, however, it was discovered that the case was not listed for hearing on Wednesday.
The registrars informed the parties that the case file had been returned to the administrative judge and advised the parties to follow up at the main court’s registry.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who was in court with his lawyer, left the court premises.
It was gathered by a friend at the bar, our correspondence that the case had first been assigned to Honourable Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court before the case file was withdrawn and later transferred to Honourable Justice Dada by the Chief Registrar of the high court.
In the charges, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who has been suspended by the National Judicial Council, was accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice, contrary to Section 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011.
Charged alongside Justice Mohammed Yunusa was one Esther Agbo, who works in the law firm of Rickey Tarfa & Co.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that Esther Agbo on May 14, 2015 paid N1.5m into Justice Mohammed Yunusa’s UBA account numbered 1005055617.
The judge was also accused of receiving financial benefits in the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) between March and September 2015.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that the Justice Mohammed Yunusa received the money so that he could give decisions in favour of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in his cases.
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