A former Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, has been re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged corruption.
Ofili-Ajumogobia was initially arraigned on Nov. 28, 2016, before an Ikeja High Court alongside Godwin Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
They were arraigned on a 30-count charge bordering on corruption before an Ikeja High Court.
The charges were later amended by the financial crime body to 31 counts on Feb. 23, 2018.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Tuesday, April 16, 2019, the trial judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi discharged and acquitted the duo on the grounds that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
While attempting to leave the court premises, the former judge was re-arrested by operatives of the EFCC which later explained that her rearrest was not to enable it prefer new charges against her in line with the extant law.
Obla, the second defendant in the case was however allowed to leave the court premises.
During re-arraignment at the Federal High Court on Thursday Ofili-Ajumogobia was present while Obla, was absent.
Ofili-Ajumogobia pleaded not guilty to the new 18-count charge bordering on unlawful enrichment, taking property unlawfully, corruption, forgery and giving false information.
In a ruling granting bail to the defendant, the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, noted: “I take judicial notice of the Easter holiday and grant bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum who must have landed property in Lagos.
“The surety must not be below Grade Level 16 in the federal or state civil service.
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“The defendant must deposit her international passport with the deputy chief registrar of the court at or before 6.00p.m. today.
“The defendant shall endeavor to fulfill the conditions within 10-days or the bail will be revoked.
“She shall be released to her lead counsel, Wale Akoni, SAN, pending the fulfillment of the other conditions or the expiration of 10 days, whichever comes first.”
The judge ordered that Obla should appear before the court.
He said: “For the second defendant, an order is hereby made for issuance of summons compelling Godwin Obla to appear before the court on the May 15, for the purpose of trial.”
Earlier, lead EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of a pending charge against the defendants, and called the attention of the judge to Obla’s absence.
He told the court that every attempt made to inform Obla of the pending charge proved abortive.
Oyedepo, urged the court to take the plea of the former judge and give an order to compel Obla to appear before the court on the next adjourned date.
Mr. Wale Akoni, SAN, Ofili-Ajumogobia’s counsel, had made an oral application for her bail.
He asked the court to take judicial notice of the fact that she was a judicial officer, and admit her to bail on self-recognizance.
Oyedepo, however objected to Akoni’s request for bail, saying the court should take further judicial notice that there was a decision of the National Judicial Council, NJC, which recommended her dismissal.
He argued that given the nature of the case, it would not be in the interest of justice to grant her bail on self recognisance and urged the court to deny her bail or attach conditions which would compel her to be available for trial.
Aikawa adjourned the case until May 15 for trial.
