Ololade Adeyanju|
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of a Lagos High Court Ikeja has varied a bail condition granted Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Godwin Obla, who are facing corruption charges.
Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on November 21, on 30 counts bordering on the alleged offences.
They had both pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted a N20 million bail on self recognisance.
However, due to her inability to perfect the bail conditions given, Ofili-Ajumogobia had filed an application before the court, praying it to vary the conditions of bail.
On Thursday, the trial judge, arrived at the decision to vary the conditions of bail, after entertaining arguments from counsels representing the parties.
Justice Oshodi held that he had no choice than to exercise his discretionary powers in favour of the duo, in view of the fact that the EFCC did not raise any objection to the application.
The trial judge therefore granted the request of Ofili-Ajumogobia, alongside Obla to perfect a N20 million bail bond with the Chief Registrar of the Lagos State High Court instead of a cash deposit of the sum.
Oshodi also ordered the accused to depose to an affidavit of means.
Meanwhile, the judge refused to make an order as to depositing their international passports with the court’s registry, on the grounds that same were already in the court’s custody.
Recall that Obla was charged on two-counts of offering gratification in the sum of N5million to Ofili-Ajumogobia, a public official during her service as a judge.
Similarly, Ofili-Ajumogobia faces a 26-count charge of unlawful enrichment, taking property by a public officer, corruption by a public officer, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC.
According to the EFCC, Obla, on May 21, 2015, intentionally transferred N5million to Ofili-Ajumogobia via his Obla and Co United Bank of Africa (UBA) account with number: 1015319084 in order to prevent her from acting in her official duties.
The anti-graft agency alleges that Ofili-Ajumogobia, while serving as a Justice of the Federal High Court, on June 5, 2012, unlawfully received N18 million through her Access Bank Plc account, which she could not give a reasonable account of.
The EFCC said that between 2012 and 2015 Ofili-Ajumogobia also received a total of $788,000 from various sources into her Diamond Bank Account with number: 0032091183.
According to the commission, Ofili-Ajumogobia allegedly received N51.1million into her Diamond Bank account from various sources which did not reflect her source of income as a judge.
The EFCC also alleged that between July 5 and December 30, 2010, Ofili-Ajumogobia forged a deed of assignment between County City Bricks Development Co Limited and Nigel and Clove Limited.
The forged deed dated July 5, 2010 was purportedly prepared and signed by Charles Musa and Co.
The anti-graft agency said that on October 19, the judge made a false statement through a phone call to one Lawal Abdullahi, an officer of the EFCC, where she claimed she was on admission at the Gold Cross Hospital, Ikoyi.
The EFCC said the offences were in contravention of Section 39 (2)(a) of the EFCC Act, Sections 64 (1), 82 (a), 97(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and Section 467 of the Criminal Code.