EFCC accuses another senior lawyer of bribing judges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused another senior lawyer, Joseph Nwobike (SAN) of transferring the sum of N750, 000 to Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court.

The commission also alleged that the lawyer transferred the sum of N300, 000 to the company account of another Federal High Court judge in Port Harcourt, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa.

Nwobike is the counsel to Patrick Akpobolokemi, former Director-General of NIMASA who is currently facing trial for alleged fraud during his tenure at the agency.

The revelations by the agency were contained in a counter affidavit in opposition to the further and better affidavit deposed to by a former employee of Rickey Tarfa and Company, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa.

Tarfa had sought and obtained leave of court to file the further evidence in the N2.5 billion fundamental rights suit filed by the senior lawyer against the EFCC.

While countering the new evidence, an operative of EFCC, Moses Awolusi, in an affidavit, swore that new revelations have emerged about the alleged fraud of bribing judges through "a network of senior lawyers."

“Investigation has also shown that as part of this chain of fraud, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) also transferred the sum of N300, 000 to Hon. Justice H.A Nganjiwa.

“That investigations further revealed that Hon Justice M.N Yunusa as part of this scheme of fraud also received the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike SAN and Co.” he said in the affidavit, he deposed before the court."

But Nwobike in his statement to the anti-graft agency, which was also attached to the affidavit, explained that the money was not meant to bribe the judge.

According to him, it was the judge who asked him for financial assistance in respect of his ill mother who was undergoing dialysis due to failing kidney.

“Some time ago, Justice Yunusa requested to see me. When I got there, he pleaded with me to assist him with some funds since his mother was under dialysis. He stated that her kidney had packed up and that he needs assistance to cure her. I felt sorry for him. I told him that I do not have funds, but that I will assist him when I get some money,” he was quoted to have said in a statement attached to the affidavit.

It could be recalled that the EFCC had recently alleged that Tarfa who had been having legal battle with the commission, bribed Justice Yunusa with the sum of N225,000 but the senior lawyer denied the claim.

Daily Trust

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